Broken Paradise
by Michi4
Summary: AU. Inuyasha has lost everything. Kagome seeks adventure and a new start. Together, the two embark on a road trip. "I want to run away with someone in the middle of the night and go on adventures and see the world and eat at cheap truck stops and sit on top of our car and look at the stars and just be somewhere other than here."
1. Kindred Spirits

**A/N:** This story contains mild action, bonds formed between people brought together by pain and existential crises. Much like the original series. If you're looking for fluff, build up of romance, sexual tension, and friendship then you've come to the right place. I just wanted to self-indulge. I have at least 6 months worth of updates for this already typed up, so I can work on my other 2 fics and update this one if I fall behind. Even I'm anxious and look forward to sharing more chapters with you to get to the good stuff, but every fic has to have a start. This is 2500 words, gotta give people time to read it. Please read and review. Maybe I'll do a bi-weekly update to get us rolling if people want more. Thanks! I hope you enjoy.

 **Disclaimer** I do not own Inuyasha (obviously). This is for entertainment purposes only. Point being: Don't sue me. It's expensive and time consuming. I am in like $15K debt so ya. Thanks. Please enjoy, readers.

 **Broken Paradise**

 **Chapter 1: Kindred Spirits**

Duffle bag swung over his shoulder, Inuyasha walked up the driveway to his girlfriend's apartment, finally returning home from a long deployment. He knocked on the door and Kikyo answered. She looked radiant, her hair even longer than when he'd last seen her. He immediately pulled her into an embrace. She shook in his arms. He rested his head on her head.

"Inuyasha, you…you're back."

"Of course."

"But, I thought…." Her voice trailed off as she pushed herself out of his arms. Unshed tears shined in her eyes. A tall man with long, dark hair- who he wouldn't say was handsome-stepped out from behind her. She looked back at the other guy then back at him. "Didn't you get my letters?" Inuyasha asked, trying to keep his temper down. But, his gaze was cold and unwavering as he looked at the woman he loved. "No. I thought, I thought you were dead. It's been almost four years." "I was in a special unit. They wouldn't let me leave. But, I wrote you everyday." His tone was rising, becoming more panicked as he watched the guy step back. "You…who's he?" Inuyasha inquired, his voice harsher than he wanted it to be. "I'm Naraku. Kikyo's mine now." He answered for her.

Inuyasha tossed his bag behind him and balled his fists, taking a few threatening strides forward as his self control started to rip at the seems, "Is this true, Kikyo?! You betrayed me?!" "Stop it! It's not like that. " She put her arms out at her sides to block him from stepping forward.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Not before I kick his ass!"

"Inuyasha! What good will that do? It doesn't change anything. You've been gone. I-I've-"

"No! What the hell is this? You're gonna stay with him?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. His molten gaze searched her eyes and face. "I'm free to do whatever I want." She stated matter-of-factly, but her eyes still showed the sadness in their depths. "Fine. I'm outta here." Inuyasha conceded with a spat, picking up his bag and stalked off.

(-)

Kagome was on her way home from a terrible date. She had been invited out for wine. She was looking for a way to unwind. She hadn't been out in a while. It was the first date she'd gone on since Hojo like a year ago. She had never really dated to begin with and Koga seemed handsome enough. However, she didn't feel anything for him. She appreciated being wined and dined. But, having his hands all over her was not welcome. Couldn't they just talk? He clearly wanted to do more.

She tried to shrug off the lingering feeling of his hands on her. She couldn't wait to talk to Sango or even Miroku about it.

"Give him another chance! See what he's like without alcohol in his system." Miroku suggested from the other end of the phone. "You invited him to an arcade? That's not very romantic. He took you to some dive bar, instead, didn't he?" Sango guessed as she chimed in from their 3-way call, right on the mark. She sighed heavily, mentally kicking herself for getting into such a situation. "It's late. I gotta get up early. Goodnight." Kagome said as she hung up the phone.

She knew her friends meant well, but suggesting to give the creep another chance, were they even listening?

Kagome woke up with a pounding headache. Great, she was hung over. She cursed herself and reached for a bottle of water. She chowed down a slice of pepperoni pizza from the fridge and got ready to go to work. She was going to tie her dark, wavy locks into a high ponytail, but it hurt her head too much. She dressed in a brown skirt, matching blazer, white blouse underneath and headed out.

She walked up to the Higurashi family business, _Modern Apothecary_ , an hour before opening time. She fished in her purse for keys. Her head spun a little. She felt weak and tired. She looked up and saw a young man who was sleeping upright against the tree in front of her shop. Ugh, this was just what she needed. She didn't recognize the guy. She looked around for the plaza's security guard, Totosai.

"Hey, what are you doing there?" She asked as she approached him slowly. No response. "Are you okay?" she asked, concern prevalent in her tone. He didn't stir. His white t-shirt was damp and practically see-through. She couldn't leave him here or he might catch pneumonia. He would also be bad for business. _Was he hung over, too?_ She wondered. "You really shouldn't be here." She tapped him on the shoulder. He didn't respond. She looked upon his head and noticed his two pointy, perky dog ears. She wanted to touch them.

 _What the hell, why not?_ She thought as she reached up and tweaked them gently from the base to the tip. They were velvetier than she'd even imagined. She sighed with relief, glad to have that out of her system. "I shouldn't be doing this." She muttered aloud. Just then, both his eyes shot open and she jumped back with a little yelp.

"What are you doing?" He groaned. "I could ask you the same." She said, hands on her hips. She willed the blush on her cheeks to disappear. His amber eyes burrowed into her bronze ones as he replied, "I'm looking for Totosai." "That's all?" She asked. "What do you mean that's all?" He practically barked. _He's so rude._ She thought. "I'll just show you to his office. We open soon. He should be here." She gestured toward her store, keys jingling in her hand. He sighed, annoyed. He stood up and slunk behind her, following her to his office.

Later that day, she saw Inuyasha in a security uniform making his rounds. He saw Kagome on her lunch break. She stirred her ramen with little enthusiasm. "What's wrong with you?" He asked sharply. "What's it to you?" She retorted, snapping her neck up to glare at him. "What's your damn problem?!" He snapped back. She leaned back and looked up at the hanging art displays above. A mesh net of various colors hung overhead, suspended with some kind of wire. "I'm having a bad day. Here, you can have my ramen." Her large, round brown eyes seemed to shrink and she pouted. He felt guilty for snapping at her.

He sat quietly and slurped the ramen graciously. He had forgotten to eat what with his own drama. She looked back at her unlikely companion. "So, how do you know Totosai?" She suddenly asked. His face scrunched up, "he was my father's friend." "So, may I ask, what were you doing this morning? You get lost?" She asked politely, her tone much gentler than earlier. "You can ask, but I'm not answering." He said as he finished off the ramen. "Alright. I gotta go back to work. See you." She said simply as she stood up and walked away.

Over the next month, she'd seen Inuyasha around the facility, but didn't talk to him.

Kagome locked up the shop after a night shift. A familiar navy-blue security uniform caught her attention from the corner of her eye, but it was only Totosai. She half-smiled and waved, softly wishing the old man goodnight.

Against her better judgment, Kagome decided to take the shortcut home through the alley. It looked so long and dark. A single lamp overhead casted an orange glow that illuminated basically one circle of area around it. It flashed on and off a bit and when it was on it dimmed and brightened intermittently. She took in a breath and with a determined sigh she stepped through. She walked as fast as she could. A black cat running by startled her. She took a calming breath and continued. She saw a shadow dart across her path and knew it was a rat. She journeyed on. She clutched her purse at her waist and thought she should get pepper spray. She listened for footsteps and kept looking over her shoulder, trying to look nonchalant, but also hurrying. She heard something shuffling and rushing behind her, but couldn't make anything out in the shadows.

"HEY!"

A familiar male voice called out. "What the hell are you doing?" It was Inuyasha. He came up quickly beside her. Her heart pounded in her chest. "You scared me!" She scolded. "You _should_ be scared out here like this behind the shopping center." He scolded back. "It's the quickest way home." She explained. He practically shouted and ruffled his hair, "That's no excuse. Next time, have me walk you out. That's part of my duties as a security guard. You're actually not supposed to leave alone. Stupid, Totosai." "I didn't see you anyway. I thought you were gone." She huffed as she walked at a relaxed pace now. "Do you walk home all the time?" He asked her. She was a little afraid to answer but she did, "yeah…" "That is so unsafe! Anything could happen to a woman out here!" He yelled.

"I know, but what else am I supposed to do!"

"Not walk through dark alleys, stupid!"

"Don't call me stupid!"

"Shut up or maybe I'll leave you out here alone to get attacked."

"Fine, I've been going home alone for a long time."

He shut his mouth at that and changed the subject, "I'll just walk you home this one time." He offered. She lived about a 20-minute walk away, which was too far in his opinion.

On the walk, they bantered a little bit. They talked about the weather, their uneventful workday, and the city. He mentioned that his estranged brother was away, so he was staying with Totosai in the meantime.

The next day, she brought Inuyasha lunch. He looked up from his desk and eyed her suspiciously. "What this?" He asked. He took a sniff. It smelled like a few meat choices, fresh bread, and a mix of sauces. Nothing spicy, thankfully.

"Lunch. On me."

"What for?"

"For yesterday."

"You fed me ramen before, though."

"That was a while ago and besides, you made sure I got home safely, too. Lunch can be on you tomorrow. I'll eat pretty much anything." She said with a confident smirk. She was about to walk away when he said, "wait!" He grabbed the sack and motioned for them to sit out on the terrace.

They sat in silence under a giant tree. It was one of the few trees on the street, especially one of its stature. "My name is Kagome." She stated. "I know." He muttered. "Well, if you know, use it." She demanded.

He'd already consumed the submarine sandwich. Wasn't she going to eat? He looked her over. Her dark hair was tied half up half down, her bangs fell to the side. She wore a yellow sweater that clung to her in all the right curves. She wore a sky blue dress under it. A small necklace with three oval crystals the color of blood danced on her collarbone as she shifted in her seat. "So, Inuyasha, how long is your brother away for?" She inquired, leaning forward and resting her chin on her palms. Her gaze fixed on his. His expression hardened a bit, on the defense.

"Half brother and who the hell cares." He said simply. He crumpled up the sandwich wrapper some more. He wasn't used to someone being nice to him or caring about him, especially under the most recent circumstances. In that moment, Totosai came over the walkie-talkie nagging him about his being late from his lunch break. "See you around." She chirped, smiling brightly at him and waving a little as he got up to go back to work.

Over the next few days, they worked opposite shifts. But, when Inuyasha'd seen Kagome was in, he stepped into the Higurashi's shop; accidently kicking and nearly knocking over a giant amethyst geode. He clenched his teeth and his eyes widened. His heart stopped for a second as he steadied the waist-high artifact with both his hands. The various scents of herbs and essential oils overwhelmed his senses. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt like sneezing, but nothing would come out. Soft, new age aesthetic music began to fill his ears. The shop was small and well lit. It was cluttered, but in a very neat and organized way. A few high school girls were looking at charms for good luck, love, and the like. There was a glass shelf filled with self-help and New Age books. One titled Near Death Experiences caught his eye and he peaked inside to see a page on reincarnation, specific herbs and various folklore and sketches filled up the page.

"Oh, hey there." Kagome greeted from beside him. He looked up about to shoot her an annoyed glare and complain when he noticed Mrs. Higurashi smile at him from behind the counter. He acknowledged her with a nod and remained expressionless. He followed after Kagome. "It's my turn to treat for lunch." He reminded.

"Do you really believe in all that stuff?" He asked with curiosity in his voice rather than disdain or skepticism as most people would in regards to homeopathy and alternative healing. She pensively put a finger to her cheek before explaining, "My grandfather's the one who opened the shop. He's full of stories and has a lot of artifacts, sutras, charms and things. He's from a line of Shinto priests. I definitely think there's something to thinking positive, self-care, and a nice scent or music to soothe the soul." He couldn't argue with that.

The next day, she hardly said a word during their lunch break. She seemed to be lost in thought. He caught a blush creep into her cheeks more than once. His patience was wearing thin. He wanted to yell at her to "spit it out already." She knew they'd have to go back to work any minute. It was now or never. "I know we don't know each other all that well, but do you want to go on a road trip and just get out of here?"

"Where's this coming from all of a sudden?" He couldn't hide that he was intrigued, his left ear twitched. "I just felt we could use a getaway." She thoughtfully replied.

"Nevermind, maybe that's a stupid idea." She added, just above a whisper. He stood up out of his chair, hands banging flat onto the table, and raised his voice, "Let's get the hell out of here tonight." With that, he took off back to work. She stared after him with wide eyes and a bright smile.

-0-0-0-0-TO BE CONTINUED-0-0-0-0-0-


	2. Past, Present, Future

A/N: This chapter is 5600 words (that's like 2 chapters in 1 update). I tried to shorten it, but it's necessary. You'll see. I'll update in a month, so you have time to digest this one. Thanks again for reading!

 **Chapter 2: Past, Present, Future**

At home, she packed essentials. Her brother walked by her room and noticed its disarray. "What are you doing?" He asked her, a melting ice cream sandwich in his hand. "I'm going on a trip." She replied like it was no big deal. She was busy going through her mental list of necessities.

"Really? With who?"

"By myself."

"Yeah, right."

"Fine. I'm going with Inuyasha just to get away, you know. Take a break."

"The security guard?! I mean, he's cool, but since when did you...two…?"

"It's not like he's a total stranger." She defended with a huff. She adjusted the strap of her sports bra and retied the knot in her oversized peach workout shirt at her hip. "But, who is he? What do you even know about him? When are you leaving? I haven't seen you two speak two words to each other, now you're running off together? What are you going to tell mom and grandpa?" Her brother tried to make sense of what was going on. "That I'm an adult, OK, that it's time for me to get out of here, travel, and discover myself. The business will be fine. They have you. You can get an intern or I can have Eri or someone take over. Get Hojo to pitch in." She said haughtily. "Sounds like you have it all figured out then. Bon Voyage." He said with a wave and stalked off. _If I think about it, I won't do it._ She thought silently as she finished packing.

Around 6pm there was a knock on the front door. Kagome's mother answered and was surprised to see a man standing on the porch. She recognized him from the plaza. In fact, he was still in his navy blue uniform. "Please, come in." She invited.

"Kagome mentioned to us that you're taking a trip. Do you have any plans?" Her mother asked, she looked at and spoke to him warmly. She motioned for him to sit on the couch in the living room. Inuyasha glanced around the room. He noticed the baby photos and other various childhood pictures on the walls. He thought it looked like a photo album had thrown up in here. It was kind of nice. He had never been very close to his own family.

"We're just going to see where the road takes us." He answered. "That's very exciting." Mrs. Higurashi commented as she sat across from him. Just then, Grandpa came in. "Here are some sacred prayer beads to protect you while you travel!" He said as he placed the item into Inuyasha's palms. "Are you and my sister like dating, or what's the deal?" Souta asked from behind him. The older guy's eyes widened and he stood up to look the kid in the eye. His cheeks flushed red as he stammered, "Wh-wh-well, no. She just asked me to go along with her."

"Oh, Inuyasha, I didn't expect you to come here." Kagome said from the stairs. "Well, we didn't exactly plan this out." He remarked, crossing his arms, and tilting his chin up to regain his composure. He stood tall over everyone. "I'm packed up, if you'd like to help me bring my things down." She requested. He followed her up the stairs. "Won't you stay for dinner?" Her mother called up. She wasn't met with a response.

"No way, Kagome, you can't bring all this stuff with you! It's a road trip!" Inuyasha complained. He smacked his hand on his forehead in protest. "I thought it was too much." She said, vexed. He ran his hand back through his hair. He glanced around her room. "Here, whatever you can fit into this backpack, that's what you can take." He resolved as he tossed the large, yellow bag to her.

She packed a few days' worth of clothes. She figured they would just wash or buy other things. "So, how are we traveling around?" His voice broke the silence. "I think public transportation is best. That way we don't have to worry about a car breaking down. We could always rent one, too, I suppose. Is there any place you've always wanted to visit?" She asked. He had a few places, but didn't want to share them yet. He didn't like being sentimental. He figured he'd let her seek out her heart's desires first. "Keh! This wasn't my idea. You're leading the way." He feigned disinterest. "Where's your stuff?" She inquired. "I don't need nothin' but the clothes on my back." He said, using his thumb to point for emphasis. _Maybe he didn't have stuff_ , she deduced.

"I suppose we shouldn't ask when you'll be back." Her brother stated from the steps of the shrine. "Don't wait up!" Kagome jeered and waved.

She glanced down at her phone. She would tell Sango and Miroku when she was already out on the open road.

They sat at a café, checking the bus schedule. She really wanted to just close her eyes and point. They lived in a big city, so nature was definitely in order. A hot spring sounded so good. "The countryside!" She finally announced.

They stood single file and loaded into the rickety bus. There was only one that went through the countryside. There were several other people on the bus, mostly elderly. Inuyasha had wanted the window seat. She didn't care because she'd had enough of this city to keep looking at it. She and her travel companion were shoulder to shoulder. She glanced around the cramped space. She wasn't sure how they were going to be able to sit like this for hours, but they were trying to save money. She heard an irritated huff come from Inuyasha as he rolled down the bus window to lean out of. She tried not to fidget because whenever she did, her knee would bump his and she would blush furiously. The bus started up with a loud roar. There was no turning back now. She was really looking forward to just seeing the stars.

About half an hour into their trip, she spoke up. "Maybe this is a good time to establish some ground rules." He looked at her from the corner of his eyes. His ear twitched, letting her know he was listening. She continued, "I just think since you're male and I'm female-" He interrupted, "I'm not concerned about that. I don't find you attractive or anything. Besides, you're the one pressing flesh." "Am not, there's no space on the bus!" _Well, okay, then…._ She was irked by his attitude despite herself and the issue was settled, just the way he said it was so rough. She dropped that topic, pushing down her hurt pride. "Okay, next then, we should have a healthy amount of alone time, but since we are traveling together, let's not ditch each other or leave the other behind without saying anything." "Fair enough." He agreed. "Anything you want to add?" She tried to include him, so she didn't feel so bossy. "Pay everything fifty -fifty." He stated. _That kind of went without saying_ , but she didn't want to nit pick. "I think that covers it." She surmised.

"Let's get to know each other." She suggested. "You're awfully chatty." He commented. He had his chin resting on his hand, arm hanging out the window, eyes closed. "Hey, you're going to have to be nicer to me." She scolded. He side-eyed her and twisted his mouth upward in disapproval _like a bulldog_ , she thought that last part. "It's just this damn bus." He complained. "I'm trying to make the best of an uncomfortable situation." She muttered. She pouted and sat on her hands. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest. "I'm just not used to spending this much time with someone." He admitted.

She smiled up at him, "there. I feel like I know you a little bit more." She flashed her pearly whites at him. He felt a sensation like a butterfly between his stomach and chest for a moment. She actually looked happier now than he'd seen her before. He cracked a smile, too, just from one corner of his lips.

"Tell me about your mom. You met my family." What she said seemed to hit a sore spot. He flinched and he angrily replied, "She died when I was really young. I don't remember much about her. Now, get off it." Heads in the bus turned and she heard some of the passengers remarking how rude this youth was. She wondered if maybe she'd made a mistake asking him to go on a trip since he was so temperamental.

He switched from resting his right foot on his left knee to the other. There was hardly enough space for the adjustment. He watched her delicate features fall and felt bad, but he wasn't the sappy type.

"How about some music?" She changed the subject. She pulled out her MP3 player from her purse. He simply pointed to his dog ears. She laughed nervously and said, "sorry." He couldn't help but chuckle a little himself.

They finally arrived at the countryside inn Kagome had looked up. It had a hot spring and included breakfast. Inuyasha stretched on the side of the road. He shook his arms and legs. The last thing he wanted to do was sit down again. The moon was half full and bright, which disappointed Kagome a bit because it made seeing more stars difficult. Still, the sky was beautiful. It looked like blue velvet. They were surrounded by lush forest. The inn itself was quaint. It had a dragonfly design on the stain glass windows. A single porch light with similar stain glass greeted them. She admired the vegetable and herb garden in the front yard. Many fireflies danced around. It was deafly quiet.

Kagome's large bag hung off one shoulder, she shifted it and was about to ring the bell when Inuyasha took the backpack from her and easily hoisted it over his shoulder. She was about to thank him when they were greeted by a very old woman and a half demon with kind blue eyes. "This is Jinenji, my son. He'll take your things to your room." She said in a low, almost hushed tone. "So, you're a half demon, too." He acknowledged of Inuyasha. "Why don't you get settled. Join us for breakfast at sunrise." The old woman invited. Her countenance was rather solemn. The inn was very peaceful. The inside was simple, decorated in earthy tones.

"This is your room." The significantly larger half demon presented. "Oh, we aren't a couple." Kagome said shyly. Her traveling companion simply stood with his arms crossed and followed along, leaning on whatever wall was nearby. He was tired, but fighting it. "My apologies." The horse demon said softly. He then took them to separate rooms with an adjoining bathroom. "You're friends, so you should be able to at least easily reach each other." "Yeah, this is fine." Inuyasha stated as he waltzed right in and made himself at home.

Kagome lay down to sleep, clutching her pillow. She felt lonely. She could hear Inuyasha rustling around in his room. The sky outside the window was lightening; deep blue was fading to gray to a slight yellow mixed with a rosy tint. It was twilight. She couldn't recall the last time she had stayed awake this late. She didn't want to miss the sunrise now.

She wandered out back and climbed a ladder to the roof. She was startled by Jinenji tending to the moss growing atop the inn. "I wanted to see the sunrise." She explained even though he hadn't asked. "This is an amazing and environmentally friendly place you've developed." She complimented. His cheeks flushed a bit and he whispered, "thank you." The colors of the sky were brilliant as the stars began to fade. Hues of pink and orange flared up the sky. The clouds were like horse tails racing about. She thought she should've invited Inuyasha out to witness it. His window was right below. She climbed halfway down the ladder to call to him. "Come watch the sunrise!" She beckoned. "There's one everyday." He muttered, uninterested. He turned to see her foot stepping onto his window pain. "Idiot! You're going to fall!" He scolded as he reached out to catch her as one foot slipped and the other stepped on the ledge.

He clutched her tightly against his chest, catching her and carried her princess style. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck to brace herself. "Thanks, that was close." She sighed with relief and looked into his face, strained with what she was sure was annoyance and was that worry? She felt her heart begin to speed up pace and her cheeks grew hot. Being this close to him, she could see just how handsome he was even with his brows furrowed and facial features contorted in irritation. His eyes were like golden lava in this lighting of the sunrise. His strands of hair that fell forward over his shoulders tickled the side of her cheek. His abruptly setting her down-practically tossing her like a hot potato- brought her out of her admiration. A slight blush graced his cheeks as well. "Let's finish watching the stupid sunrise safely." He suggested as he climbed out the window. He reached a hand down to help her up onto the ladder and roof.

His hands were rough against her petal-soft skin. His much larger hands enveloped the single small one that she had reached out to him. He pulled her up with such ease by one arm, placing one hand on her back to support her. Still, she almost stumbled on her own feet and fell into his arms again. He placed his hands on both her shoulders to steady her and spat "clutz!" She thought she really needed sleep as she swayed a bit and felt light headed.

She glanced up to thank him, but he was already sitting cross-legged away from her. She looked toward the East just in time to see the magnificent sun rising above beautiful, rolling mountains the color of indigo.

Kagome had inhaled her food and she rested her head on the table after nodding sleepily, almost falling forward a few times. She listened to the chirping of birds.

Strong arms carried her, she realized, as she stirred into consciousness. She felt too tired to open her eyes. The figure held her so securely she doubted she could move. Giving into the warmth that surrounded her, she nestled into the bend of the arm, nose pressing against a muscular chest. She sleepily moaned as she buried her face in his chest, the tufts of his hair mashing against her cheek and mingling with her own tresses.

The next thing she knew, she woke up in her rented room, a warm quilt covering her. She sunk into the plush pillow and felt she was becoming one with the bed. She vaguely recalled Inuyasha tucking her in. But, maybe she had been dreaming. Her cheeks warmed up again. She shook the thought away and buried her face into the pillow, forcing thoughts of him and the feelings of loneliness away.

The smell of fresh bread filled her nostrils. Her stomach rumbled. She groggily stood up. The wooden floors were alight with beams of sun filtering through the curtain.

Kagome could hear Inuyasha and the old woman's voices as she sauntered to the dining room.

"Your eyes have seen many battles."

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I've seen the same look in many of the other soldiers' eyes that have come through here."

"Feh!"

"You're a half-demon, that was a give away. They used you to fight their battles." Just then, Kagome's cell phone rang. The trio turned to look at her and she nervously smiled. She bowed briefly as a signal of apology. With a wave of her hand, she took the call in her room.

"Kagome! You left without telling any of your friends!" Eri cried.

"Yeah, what's up with that? Hojo went to visit you and your brother told him and Hojo told us you went on an impromptu trip." Ayumi explained.

"So, who's the guy?" Yuka's voice was sly and accusing.

"What guy?" Kagome played off. "Knock it off, Kagome." Yuka called out. She was always the most direct in the group. She appreciated that quality in her friend. "He's just a friend. A co-worker, actually. I thought he could use the getaway, too." She rattled off. "Bring me back cookies!" Her first friend to speak begged. She promised she would. "And keep in touch! Send pics!" Her second friend beguiled. "We want to see the guy."

Kagome hung up. She looked through her contacts and was about to text Sango. But, she wanted to wait until she had something to report. She hadn't done anything except sleep away the day. She sighed heavily. She wanted to stay here one more night to take advantage of the hot spring. Her mind ran over the details she heard about Inuyasha right before she got the call. She realized just how little she knew him.

"Hey, you should eat something." Came his soft voice from her doorway from behind her. She hadn't even heard him knock or push open the door. "Yeah, it smells so good." She genuinely smiled at him and stood up to follow him into the kitchen practically skipping.

"Hey, could we stay here one more night?" She asked, almost pleading in her voice. "Sure. It's up to you, really." He drawled. She wanted to ask him about his conversation she'd eavesdropped on, but decided against it.

"So, what are _you_ running from?" Kagome nearly choked on her jammed toast at the question the old woman asked. She coughed and Jinenji patted her on the back gently. "…Monotony…." She said without expanding on the topic despite the loaded question. She glanced up at Inuyasha from the corner of her eye. He seemed like his issue was much more serious.

Kagome sat alone in the hot spring. No one else seemed to pass through here. She wondered how they managed the business at all. She contemplated her own state in life, sinking into the water up to her nose. It had been challenging enough just to get through high school and help her family with the shop. She was undecided about college and felt so overwhelmed by the paperwork of applications that she hadn't sent any in. She had filled out some documents. Her resume was up to date and she even had letters of recommendation. She considered going abroad. But, something was holding her back. _Yeah, myself._ She thought bitterly. She felt flushed from the heat and couldn't stay in much longer.

She wrapped the towel around her as she stepped out of the pool. The sun had long set. The moon was waning. This place was gorgeous and her heart leapt at the thought of the many sights that awaited her. After talking to her friends and how they were readying to start classes, she felt almost guilty for unwinding and relaxing. She was so used to working, she almost didn't know how to take time for herself and just have down time.

She worked to soak up the water from the ends of the dripping tresses of her raven locks. She could see the light was on in Inuyasha's room. She wondered what he did to relax. His frame passed the window.

The springs were surrounded by rocks and were a safe distance away. She didn't worry about him peeking at her. She blushed anyway, but then she thought that he probably wouldn't try anyway, much to her chagrin. _Wait, do I want him to?_ She thought to herself. She pressed her lips together in embarrassment. Whatever she was feeling, she needed to get over it. They were going to be spending a lot of time together traveling; she couldn't have it getting complicated or awkward, especially on her part.

(-)

Inuyasha barged into the bathroom. "Hey!" She protested. He didn't even look over at her. He was shirtless and reaching for a towel from the linen closet. "Lock the door next time." He said simply. She pushed her lips into a pout. Dammit. He was right. She was already dressed in her pink and purple flannel pajamas. "There isn't anything to see anyway." He teased as he glanced at her from over his shoulder. "No one asked for your opinion!" She snapped. He chortled smugly for a second. He liked to get her all riled up over nothing. It was so easy to do and it was entertaining. This place, frankly, bored him. He'd just taken advantage of the hot springs, but being left to his own thoughts was something he always did. He wanted a distraction. She was it.

"What're you up to?" He asked, his voice back to its usual tone. She was still reeling from his picking on her a second ago and he was clearly unfazed, which furthered to annoy her. She ran the brush through her hair a little more roughly than she intended as a result and muttered an "ouch." "You really need to lighten up." He commented. She calmly placed the brush down. He was right, though she would not admit that aloud. "I was going to read. I can't sleep because I slept in earlier." She answered, flashing him a smile this time. "You?"

He shrugged. "Seeing what you're doing." "Let's play cards, then!" She exclaimed. Gods, she was so loud. Not that there was really anyone here. He tossed on a worn, red shirt (he didn't have anything of his own, but the old woman gave him what other travelers had left. He could smell they had been washed, but how long ago he wasn't sure) and followed her to her room.

"Go fish." She said with a delighted laugh. Her laughter was so musical. Her feet danced on the mattress as she sat with her legs propped up. His hand was filled with cards and he looked down at the pile like he wanted to cut it down. "Do you know another game?" He asked, his tone agitated. He was a sore loser. "Welllll," she mulled over. "Actually, I can tell your fortune." "Keh, I got to see this." He threw the cards in the deck and shuffled. "You learn this from your grandfather?" He inquired. "Of course," she replied. "And don't get weirded out, I don't really tell people this, but I have powers." "What do you mean?" His voice raised an octave with interest. "Like psychic powers. Ever since I was a kid. Obviously, because of my name the kids always wanted to play. I always knew who was standing behind me every time. They thought I was cheating. That's when my grandfather recognized that I had talent and he taught me to use the cards as a tool to channel them. I hope you're not afraid."

"Afraid! C'mon." He said as he held out his palm. "Can you read my palm?" He asked. She took his large hand into her small one and studied the lines. She took the pad of her index finger and ran it along the "M" that rested on his upturned palm. She felt his muscles flex a little. As she concentrated, her brows knit together, a slight crease appeared in her otherwise flawless, smooth forehead. "You have three days to live," she jeered. He yanked his hand away and cursed under his breath. She giggled and spread the cards out for him. "I just interpret the cards using my intuition." Her voice was almost apologetic for her poor joke.

"What do you want to know?"

"What are my options?"

"Most people ask about health, money, and love."

"Can you do just a general reading?"

She nodded and a small smile graced her lips, which reminded him of sakura petals. There was a single lamp lighting the room, illuminating her dark eyes. "Inuyasha?" He had been staring, unblinking at her. "Pull ten cards, please." She repeated. He silently pulled the cards and she placed them in a specific pattern. She placed them face down. His lips parted open a bit in awe as he watched her arrange them.

She pointed to each one and explained each position. "Okay, so first I just wanted to see what's going on right now with you. We'll see what's going on like why I'm seeing these cards so I can tell you what will happen." His pulse picked up a bit. He was a bit nervous and swallowed in anticipation. He simply nodded for her to continue.

"Okay, so we have six of spades, which in a Tarot deck would be Six of Swords. This card is about "letting go" of past hurt or leaving something behind. Which, makes sense 'cause we are traveling, but this card is under this one. That means you're UNABLE to let go. So, what's blocking you from healing?" He only listened and watched her. "Three of spades," she continued. "This is the heartbreak card." She looked up into his gold depths, which were transfixed on the cards. He pursed his lips together. "I already know this." He complained. "Well, the cards often just confirm what we already know. Kind of like an affirmation for the path we are on. Or to guide us when we feel lost." She explained.

"Do you ever read yourself?" His curiosity was practically burning in his eyes. She looked down somberly, "it's not easy to do so. I've lost faith a bit. But, I can always read others if they let me." "Go on," he encouraged. "I mean, you're doing pretty good right now." Her lips turned up into a smile again. It felt good to make her smile. "So, in the past position, we have seven of spades. This means, you're running away form something. And someone didn't trust you or you were betrayed." He had a poker face on now. She went on:

"Under all of this is the Ten of spades. It looks bad, like you got stabbed in the back or hurt emotionally, but it's just a really big change in your life. From this, you will learn something that will change your life. The hardest part is behind you.

So, your "self" card is the Jack of Spades. Hmm. I would interpret this as don't overreact. Don't rush into a proverbial battle, watch what you say. Really slow down, stop and think.

Your environment is….the 2 of Hearts. The soulmate card. There's someone in your immediate environment….It could just be a sharing of feelings or mutual friendship. It doesn't have to be love, but it usually is.

Your hopes and fears…Five of diamonds. You're not alone. Ask for help when you need it.

Okay, these three are your future and are read together: Ace of hearts, Five of Hearts, and Two of swords. A new love will come into your life, focus on what you have instead of what you don't. Of course, it's all confusing and you're trying to balance everything right now. But, overall it looks really positive. You're going to have to make some kind of decision. Like, you'll be torn between two choices. Follow your heart."

She sat back on her heels, exhaling audibly, and had her eyes closed. She looked up at him with a smile and she eyed him from between her lashes, as if coming out of a trance. "Thanks, I hadn't read anyone in a while." She said. "Wow, that was amazing." He complimented. For the first time she saw a smile stretch on his face. His eyes practically glittered. "You should read yourself." He recommended. "I'll do it to humor you." She said as she shuffled the cards.

"Okay, just a simple, past, present, future." She stated. "For love." He added. She turned a deep shade of crimson. "I mean, you don't have any health or money questions. You're good in that department, I take it. We're on this trip after all." He explained. "So my love life must be a mess…?" She said with a slight laugh. "Every woman wants to ask about love, I'm sure." He egged on. She pulled three cards out after fanning them out. "Fine, my love life in the past was 10 of clubs. A burden." She couldn't control the laughter that shook her body. "That's so accurate!" She hiccupped between breaths. He didn't see what was so funny and just gawked at her like she was losing her mind. Tears ran down her cheeks and she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

She composed herself finally and said a gasped "sorry" as she caught her breath. She flipped over the present and the two of hearts greeted her. "Hah, you have a lover or a soulmate." He tapped it accusingly. "You learn quick," she quipped. "Okay, the future is the two of diamonds. Just me trying to balance my life. Makes sense." "You already seem like you got it together to me." He complimented. She beamed up at him and thanked him for saying that.

"So, why was your love life such a weight on your shoulders?" He suddenly asked, sitting back against the headboard and crossing his arms and legs. "Oh, I had gone on a terrible date that day you were asleep in front of my shop. Then, there's a guy from school who pursued me, but I just wasn't interested. I just felt pressured to date even though I wasn't interested in anyone." She confessed. She picked the cards back up and shuffled them together. "It's rough, that's for sure." His voice was low and he looked off out the window. "Hey, you got to let that pain go!" She chirped as she playfully shoved his shoulder.

He hooked his hands around her wrists to stop her onslaught. "Let go!" She ordered with a wide smile and laughter shook her chest. She pretended to kick him. Then tried to stand up. That was a mistake. She fell right onto his lap, straddling him, their noses brushing each other as she fell forward. He released her and she pushed herself off of him as quickly as she could, having to push off his muscular shoulders. She could feel the curve of his biceps under her soft palms. Muttering a "sorry" and stepping off of him, she slid to the foot of the bed away from him. She couldn't slow down her heart rate and she felt her cheeks flush. Only a slight blush tinted his cheeks briefly before he appeared unfazed yet again.

"Stupid girl." He berated lightheartedly. She ran her hands through her hair absent-mindedly. "Let's play war." She said, dividing up the cards, not yet looking at him.

She won again. "Hey, let's play 52 pick up." He proposed as he tossed up all the cards and let them rain down. They fluttered noisily all around them and some scattered on the wood floor with a smack. "Very funny!" She scolded as she scooped them up in her hands and threw them in his direction. "Missed me!" He taunted. She attempted to thwack him with a few cards, but he dodged them with ease. He laughed triumphantly, standing over her with his hands on his hips. "Don't stand on the mattress." She hissed. He jumped down and turned to leave the room. "Help me clean up!" She called after him.

"You were the one who wanted to play." He blamed as he stretched out in his own bed. She protested and shook his shoulder, trying to get him to turn to face her. He leaned on one elbow, propping himself up, looking rather comfortable, even crossed his ankles. "I'll just have to sleep HERE then!" She declared as she jumped over him and into his personal space. "Ah, hell, no." He objected and tried to roll her out of bed. "You're such a softie." She jeered and clutched his sheets, pulling them with her. "You're messing up my bed!" He roared. "DUH!" She shot back. "What are you five years old?!" His voice got higher.

He finally gave in, reluctantly, and went to pick up the cards from her room. She rolled around in his bed to ensure he would clean up and not just wreck her bed, too.

He returned with the cards back in the deck and dropped them in her lap with a grumble. She smugly held them to her chest and waltzed back to her room. "Goodnight." She said, his bed sheets still twisted. She heard him cursing her under his breath, but she didn't care.

That night, her scent overwhelmed him. He tossed and turned. He wanted to hate it. His heart ached from old wounds. He wasn't ready to start feeling again for another woman, but it looked like he didn't have a choice. He forced the thoughts from his mind, deciding to count sheep, which he knew was cliché, but it worked. _It's nothing_ , he told himself. He just hadn't spent this much time with someone…not since his ex…. Not very many people were kind to him. That's all this was. She was just nice to him. He cursed how human he felt-the part of himself he had tried to deny most of his life.

-o-o-o-TO BE CONTINUED-o-o-o-


	3. Hotel Paper

**Disclaimer:** In case it's not obvious, I don't own Inuyasha.

Long read ahead. Fluff warning! Thanks for coming here! I hope you enjoy it.

 **Chapter 3: Hotel Paper**

Kagome's lashes fluttered. The sun was incredibly warm on her back. A slight breeze swirled around her, alleviating the feeling of her skin tanning (she hoped it wasn't burning). She wondered if it was time to reapply sunblock. She peeked with one eye and turned to look for Inuyasha. She had last spotted him wading into the sea and cursing about how low the temperature was. She squeezed her eyes shut and clutched her towel that she was using as a pillow, wrapping it around her arm and tucking it under her more securely. She listened to the incessant crashing of the waves on the shore. The certainty of the rhythmic pounding was so pleasant and soothing.

Just as she started to doze off again, she felt something scurry across her arm. An animal? Couldn't be. Then, she felt it again, distinctly this time. Her eyes flew open to spot something furry, lithe, and "squirrel!" She yelped as she sat up looking to see where it went. "What is it, Kagome?!" Inuyasha came bounding over to her, chasing the beady-eyed creature away. She shook her blanket now sprinkled with sand he'd kicked up. "My hero." She sarcastically remarked as she attempted to lay out the Sea foam green towel. She lay back down and covered her eyes with her arm.

Inuyasha plopped down beside her. Was she going to sleep again? He was bored and hungry. He wanted to wander around, but didn't want to leave her alone. He also remembered their rule not to go anywhere without telling the other. She had a temper; she was tiny, but she was fierce. Sure, he could match her word for word, but if she was upset then he was miserable. She could hold a grudge. Just one unhappy glance from her made him remember every awful thing he'd ever done in his life. She froze him out for a day once for "being a jerk" because he didn't appreciate her cooking.

There were plenty of cliffs and stretches of beach just beckoning. He tapped with his index finger where her foot and ankle connected. She didn't stir. Her raven locks were twirled to one side and fell over her shoulder. He reached out to shake her shoulder and gently said, "Kagome." She slid her arm from her eyes and shielded her caramel orbs from the glaring sun with her hand and lazily gazed at him, "what?" Her voice was soft, not a hint of irritation. He wondered how she could be so kind and patient.

"Let's go explore."

"What about the stuff?"

"Just leave it."

"I thought you didn't trust anyone."

"Then bring it. Let's just go wander."

She hadn't brought much with her. She collected their lunch bag, rolled up the towel, tucking it under her armpit, picked up her sandals with two fingers, and followed him down the beach.

He always let his hair flow freely, it blew over his lower back and around his shoulders and he didn't even seem to mind. His hair was longer than hers and she currently had hers tied to one side attempting to tame it. The muscles in his back rolled with each step, naturally flexing with each of his movements. He was so strong with just the right amount of defined, toned muscles. His shoulders were broad. His abs were perfectly sculpted. He walked right in the water, his red swimming trunks were taught and clinging to him as the waves lapped at his thighs. Her eyes skimmed over the droplets of water that clung to his bangs, which shaded his eyes. She could practically see his skin bronzing in the sun and he glistened from the clear water splashing around them and the ocean spray. He was gorgeous. She felt inadequate standing in his presence. She wrapped her pastel, jellyfish patterned sarong around her waist and tied it to the side.

Kagome's figure was full with a slim waist, and flat stomach. She had thick thighs and ample breasts. She wore a two-piece bathing suit; a strappy black bikini bottom that tied on the sides and a white halter-top decorated with palm trees and coconut slices. She was beautiful; the apples of her cheeks flushed with the exertion of their walking and the cool water. Her hair was voluminous and a bit wild, her bangs were unruly and flipped out a bit to the side. She had a heart-shaped face and milky, flawless skin. In the bright sun, he could see a hint of blue highlights in her hair.

He often asked himself why she'd chosen him to travel with. He had felt unworthy. He was mean to her, admittedly so, to keep her at arms length and to protect himself. But, he didn't know how to change the dynamic and for traveling purposes, it worked. He could feel himself getting used to her being around him. That's when his mouth would usually get him in trouble and she revealed herself a force to be reckoned with, but only when he deserved it. She didn't take his shit and wasn't afraid to call him out on it. She never asked him about his past or about his break up. She seemed to know when he needed to be alone and think, but she also wasn't afraid to approach him at those times either. She was unlike anyone he'd ever met.

They started up a steep, narrow, winding trail encased by shrubs and elbow-high bushes and wildflowers, which swayed in the wind. A rusty wrought-iron fence attempted to secure hikers from the sloping cliff side. Remnants of stone steps jutted out of the dirt. She wiped the sweat from her brow and looked out at the view. It was breathtaking. The deep blue ocean shimmered and danced for miles. There were very few clouds out on the horizon. Rocky and edgy bluffs made out the landscape. The shore curved into a crescent below them, some parts already being swallowed by the sea; the foam curls taking claim of the white sand. She inhaled, filling her lungs as far as they'd expand and let the air out slowly. Her hair whipped around her shoulders and she reached up to tuck the strands behind her ear and tried to smooth her bangs.

The trek was relatively easy, albeit uphill. He lead the way, turning to glance at her from over his shoulder to make sure she was keeping up. She tripped a couple times and he called her "clumsy," though he would steady her by her shoulders, avoiding taking her hand. She startled easily by the moving brush, often it was just a bird or a lizard. She would apologize and he would "feh" or "keh" in mild agitation. Although, coming across a three meter long snake was cause for concern. She'd practically leapt in his arms in that moment. They carefully, quietly, slowly stepped over it. It slithered away, hidden again by foliage.

They finally met with stairs that led down. He urged her to be extra careful. At the bottom, they were met with a plethora of rocks before it gave way to flat sand. "Get on." He offered as he bent down in front of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her legs around his waist, her thighs clinging to his sides, and he tucked his hands under to make sure she wouldn't slide off as he darted across the rocks. She tried to hide the blush that crept into her cheeks by burying her face in his hair. He was musky in a woodsy way. He radiated warmth and it seeped into her damp, cool skin. She was covered in a sheen layer of sweat. She was very aware of every one of his muscles flexing and shifting beneath her. He smirked to himself, he liked that she tensed up and clung tighter to him, a little gasp even escaped her.

He set her down. Her arms still held onto him to balance herself back on solid ground. She sunk her feet into the sand with relief to be out of the precarious moment. Her stomach rumbled and she laid out her blanket. She knelt down and unpacked the lunch she'd made at Jinenji's inn before they'd set out to the beach, which had been an hour and a half bus ride from the countryside. She spread out the pickled radish, omelette (which was her specialty), sausages, and small salad.

This side of the beach was shadier. She went over to a cluster of rocks. "A tide pool!" She exclaimed with delight. She hunched over to check out the life that teamed around them: starfish, hermit crabs, snails, and anemones. She opened her phone and saw a missed call from Sango. She had no signal out here to call her back and took pictures instead, making a mental note to get back to her friend as soon as she could.

Inuyasha started building a fire. "Are you sure you can do that?" She asked. "Why the hell not." He retorted. She rolled her eyes and decided against lecturing him over the safety features of it. She wished she had marshmallows in this moment.

She sat in front of the fire. She hugged herself, resting her chin on her knees. She looked out at the roaring waves crashing behind them. How she loved the beach.

The sun quickly set. The sky darkened and she could finally see the stars she'd been longing for. She watched them slowly appeared one by one like candles being lit. She lay back on the blanket and gazed up. A shooting star streaked across the sky and she exclaimed, "make a wish!" She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

He crossed his arms and legs, overthinking. He could never figure what to wish for. The wind in the air changed and he inhaled through his nose deeply. _A storm is coming._ "We need to head back." He announced. She followed him without question. It was getting chilly out.

He carried her back because it was late, dark, and her "stupid human eyes" would only hold them up, not to mention he couldn't have her hurting herself with her "clumsiness" and ruin their trip. She giggled into his shoulder at his remarks. Guess she was getting a thick skin now (or just getting used to him).

They walked up to the new place they were staying. It wasn't as nice as Jinenji's, but it was the most affordable place near the beach. It was quaint. She would sleep in a shack if it meant she could be near the ocean like this. The rumbling waves were indeed a comfort. She had tried to text Sango back, but the lack of service didn't allow it to go through.

She found a pen and some stationary in the top drawer of her wood-paneled room. She started writing to her mom.

(-)

A large crash woke her and rain started to pour into her room. She felt shards of glass scatter on her bed. "Inuyasha!" She called, her voice shaky with fear. He rushed right in and scooped her up. She was soaked and trembling. He took her into his room across the hall.

He sat her on a chair and brushed back her bangs, inspecting her hands for any cuts. She had a small knick on her finger. He grabbed a bandage and wrapped it. "It's just a storm." He said. The old innkeeper came in to apologize and told them they would be getting a discount and a meal on them. Unfortunately, they didn't have other spare rooms. "She can sleep here. It's no big deal. It's not like you compelled the tree limb to crash in." Inuyasha kindly told them and closed the door behind them.

"Don't cry." He told Kagome as he handed her one of his dry t-shirts and a towel. Her stuff was no doubt soaked. He could hear the innkeeper and the help moving things out of the room. "Go change before you get sick." "I was just so scared." She whimpered, wiping away the tears. "Yeah, it _was_ scary." He said with a chuckle and sat beside her. She laughed a little, too. "Thanks." She told him and got up to use his bathroom.

Thunder boomed loudly outside. She couldn't help jumping at the sound. She looked at her reflection. _I look like a wet mouse_ , she criticized. Her eyes were red from need of sleep and crying. She washed her face. She pouted in disapproval at her clothes. The rain had drenched her so quickly. It came down in sheets. She could still hear it relentlessly falling outside. It was a lovely sound despite the frightening force of nature. It drowned out the sound of the sea, though.

She slipped on the black t-shirt he'd lent her, the hem barely covering her upper thigh. She covered her face in embarrassment. "Are you okay in there?" Came Inuyasha's voice from the other side of the door. She sheepishly opened it, "uh, yeah. Could you look the other way?" "What the hell for?" His voice was exasperated. "It's short." She muttered. "Feh! I've seen you in a bathing suit. Stop being stupid so we can sleep." He demanded and flung the door open.

Okay, she looked much cuter than he was expecting her to in her disheveled state. He looked slightly to the side, a blush etching his cheeks faintly, and he pressed his lips together. Her cheeks were rosy. Her locks were tousled. Her lips were full as she puckered them shyly. He scratched his nose nervously.

He flicked off the light. "I can't see." She complained from the doorway. He flicked the light back on. "Thank you." She softly said. He pulled back the covers of the bed. "Um, how do…where should I?" She meekly asked. "You can sleep on the outside." He said as he slid as close to the wall as he could, back facing her, as he offered her the second sheet. She shivered. "Get in already before you catch your death." He told her, his voice more tired than angry.

She turned off the light and crawled in. "You can have the pillow." He said and shoved it at her. He flipped back over quickly. His hair was silky. It brushed her arm as she lay down beside him. She turned her back towards him, too. She could feel his warmth. Her body got goose bumps adjusting to the temperature change. She sighed contentedly. "I'm glad you're here," she suddenly said. "On this trip and now, when I was terrified."

His heart skipped a beat. He thought of saying something like _well, if you weren't so weak…_ but he settled for, "you're just figuring that out?" Her laughter was musical. She didn't expect anything else from him. _Maybe it was just in his nature to protect people_ , she thought. He still hadn't opened up to her about his being a soldier that she'd overheard at Jinenji's inn. She slunk into the plush comforter and pulled it up to her chin. She fell asleep surrounded in warmth and listening to the sound of the rain plinking and plunking outside.

He closed his eyes and fell asleep to the sound of her steady breathing.

She woke up alone. She rolled over into his spot. His side of the bed was still warm, which meant he hadn't been gone long. The skies outside were partly cloudy from what she could see from the window. Rain runoff still dripped from the awning. She heard shuffling down the hall and he came back in. His footfalls were soft as not to wake her. He opened the drawer for a fresh set of clothes and in a few strides he was in the bathroom. She heard the shower turn on. She dozed off again.

When she peered through her lashes again he was only in a towel, which hung low around his waist. His back was facing her. She couldn't help but look at the beautiful boy, her eyes tracing his outline and form. She pulled the blanket to cover her cheeks. She knew she was blushing. Sure, it wasn't anymore than she'd seen at the beach, but she hadn't really spent much time looking at guys, especially one as fine as him. She willed her heartbeat to steady itself. She forced herself to face the wall.

He glanced at her from over his shoulder to make sure she was still asleep. He patted himself dry. He quickly dressed in a red shirt, which had tiny holes in the front of it. The sleeves had white stripes. He wore red sweatpants, the drawstring had long fallen out, which only made them more comfortable. He made a mental note to go into town and get some new clothes instead of hand-me-downs. Her stuff was now in a pile in his room drying off. The heater was on now at least, so things could start drying.

He had a habit of waking up early still. She had had a rough night, so he decided to let her sleep. He'd gone for a walk to check out the aftermath of the storm. It had been a doozy. She was lucky she hadn't gotten hit by the tree branch and the window shards weren't bigger.

The sound of rain greeted her consciousness. She sat up and saw Inuyasha sitting up beside her. He had fallen asleep. His arms were crossed, but his legs were stretched out. His head rolled to the side. He leaned a little on her shoulder. She peered up into his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful. You'd never know he was so rough around the edges and rude. She reached up a hand to brush back his bangs, but stopped herself. She bit her bottom lip and sunk back into the blanket. She knew she was blushing furiously. It was better that he didn't catch her.

He cracked open his eyes and looked down at her raven crown. "You're awake?" He asked softly, sleep still prevalent in his voice. She nodded her head and sat up to face him. "Yeah, sorry, I've been sleeping all morning!" She was so chipper. He winced a bit, still waking up. He stretched and yawned loudly. "It's still early." He muttered.

"How are things?" She asked as she glanced around the room. "They're fine. Your room is cleaned and boarded up. You can sleep there tonight, then we can head out." He replied as he reached into the top drawer for a map. He flicked on the lamp beside the bed. "Where to?" He inquired as he laid it across their laps. "I need a place with cell service." She stated. "Town it is." He reached in the drawer and pulled out a tourist book and handed it to her.

"Isn't there anything you want to see?" She implored. She held the book open in front of his face and flipped the pages.

"This whole thing was your-"

"Yeah, so now my idea is what you want to do."

"I want to do what you want to do."

"Stubborn." She jabbed an elbow playfully into his side. _He's still not opening up to me,_ she thought somberly.

(-)

In the afternoon, she spent writing on the hotel paper. She wrote to her family, her three friends from school: Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka. She started to write to Sango and Miroku, but thought it would be better just to call them. Inuyasha had gone out for a walk in the rain. She had insisted he take an umbrella and he only accepted after she yelled at him.

He just wanted to be out. He was so used to being alone that it was a little draining to be with someone else.

When he returned, she was organizing, repacking her things. She was now wearing her own clothes: a black skirt and a long-sleeved turquoise sweater-top. "Hey! We can play more games." She said as she pulled out some board games.

"Sorry!" She said as she kicked his peg off the board. "Why do they even call this game that, you're not sorry!" He complained as he picked up the board and shook it.

"Easy! That's not ours."

"No one should play this. It ruins friendships." He tossed the box on the floor at the foot of the bed. She smiled widely. "What?!" He barked. "Nothing, just I think you like me a bit more is all. I hope our friendship isn't ruined." She couldn't stop grinning. She liked their friendship being acknowledged. "What're you goin' on about?" He was a sore loser and walked over to the bookshelf.

"Story time." He announced as he brought over a book of mythology. "You have to do the voices." She insisted. "WE." He emphasized. She giggled and nodded in agreement. He sat comfortably next to her. They were shoulder to shoulder. She had to lean in to be able to read along the small text.

They started reading about Psyche and Cupid, then switched to Persephone of the seasons, then Eurydice and Orpheus. "These are all sad." She whined. "Boring." He added and flipped through the book. "OH, heroes!" She exclaimed and took the book out of his hand. "You have a favorite?" He asked. "Perseus! He cuts off the head of the Gorgon, saves Andromeda, and rides Pegasus!" She was excited. Her eyes were alight. He couldn't help, but laugh, "spoilers much." She blushed at his wide smile. She decided to read to him, having him say any lines that Perseus had.

"Say it more heroic, you know?" She said as she knelt in front of him and demonstrated.

"You're deranged," he pointed a finger to her head. "It doesn't say _how_ he says it."

"He's a HERO."

"So? You've been watching too many movies. He's a regular guy."

"He is NOT. He's a demigod."

Inuyasha took the book from her hand and read up on Perseus's profile. "Like Hercules?" He asked, his voice raising an octave in interest. _I'm no god or hero, but I know what it's like to be half of something powerful and having it cause trouble…._ He thought. "You're a half demon, right?" Kagome's voice brought him out of his musings. She leaned her head on her knees. "So, in a way, you can relate to these guys." She smiled at him. "You're creeping me out." He narrowed his eyes at her. "I think it's cool." She said matter-of-factly. "It wasn't cool growing up and even now people judge me." He explained. "But, people are going to judge anyway." She reasoned. "I never belonged anywhere. I had to find my own place in the world. I wanted to just be like everyone else when I was a kid. Then, I wanted to be stronger than everyone else. Now, I realized that I have a place in the world, but I'm the only one in it." He confessed. He rested with an arm behind him, propping up his upper body, legs stretched out and his eyes were on the book open across his lap, though his gaze was far off in a memory.

"Hey, you're not alone anymore." She assured as she placed a hand on his that was over the book. He looked into her eyes, his expression serious. His features softened a bit. She was right. He picked up her hand and leaned in a little closer to her. _He's so close, he could…._ Her heart was racing. At that moment, her phone rang. She jumped with a start and got up to check her bag.

His ears flicked as he listened in. He picked up the book, feigning deep interest in a random page. "Oh, Sango! I was going to call you. Can you hear me? Service is bad….Okay….I'm well…yeah, sorry. I'll call you tomorrow, okay? TOMORROW. BYE." She raised her voice trying to connect.

"It wasn't working for two days. Do you even have a phone?" She said, looking down at the screen, and sat beside him. _The moment was ruined_. She thought, trying to mask her disappointment. "Yeah, I have it just for emergencies and to look stuff up." He answered as he kept his eyes on the page, the stripes of his blush already faded.

"Which story are you reading?" She leaned into him as she peeked into the book. She was so soft and warm against him. He suddenly had the thought to bury himself in her and mentally kicked himself for thinking such a thing. "I'm not sure I'm familiar with this story." He fibbed. He didn't know which story it actually was. He hadn't been concentrating. She took the book and he watched her eyes scan the page. "OH, this is Jason and the Argonauts." Her eyes and mouth opened wide in recognition. She went on to explain the story to him and he listened to her intently. She was so excited and gestured wildly with her hands. It was cute and entertaining.

-…-

Her eyes fluttered open and rays of sunlight filtered through the lacey curtain. The book had fallen off her lap, some pages folded inward so it couldn't close. Inuyasha was leaning on her shoulder. She looked over at him, their noses almost touching. She had fallen asleep while reading. She liked him being so close and comfortable. She didn't want to move. She hadn't been this close to a guy before, not really. She hadn't ever felt anything for a guy before, really. She sighed heavily.

"Kagome, you okay?" He asked upon hearing her sigh. "Yeah, I just slept wrong." She lied. She stretched and rubbed her lower back. "If you're not used to sleeping sitting up, you're gonna be sore all day now." He remarked. "I've had a crick in my neck since the bus." She said as she laid back onto the mattress. "You're so weak." He playfully ridiculed. "Not everyone is fortunate enough to be half demon." She retorted.

Their commute to the nearest town was mostly silent. She reached into her bag and handed him the mythology book. "What the hell, you took it!" He practically shouted. "Shut up. They won't miss it." She chortled. She leaned on his shoulder and insisted, "read to me." So he did.

She talked to Sango on the phone while he bought food. The loud noises of the town bothered both of them. They had been in nature for quite a few days now. They had to adjust. It was a small town, so there were cars infrequently passing. People bustled around the square. The chatter of voices and people shuffling about were difficult to ignore. "What? You and Miroku want to join? Are you sure? Yes, of course you can. We're in Port City." He overheard as he set down their trays.

"My friends are going to meet up with us tomorrow." She announced. "Alright, so we'll get to explore this seaside village." He shoveled rice into his mouth. She shook her head lightly at his eating habits.

She walked into a souvenir shop after they'd finished shopping for clothes for Inuyasha. She eyed cute little plush key chains. Everything was chibi with beady eyes and brightly colored. Inuyasha followed behind her. "Do you really want something from here?" His criticism got him a grunt from the storeowner. He huffed and looked back at Kagome, crossing his arms. "I don't know. Everything is really adorable, though." He could hear that she was enchanted. Her voice was just above a whisper and her attention was divided amongst all the trinkets. He wandered over to check out some swords hanging on the wall and on display. "My dad gave me an heirloom like this." He mentioned as she walked by. "So you don't need to buy one." She teased. "Ha-ha," he laughed sarcastically then noted, "these aren't all rusty like mine." "These are not toys." The merchant began. He rambled on some facts and historical information. Inuyasha half listened. "Thank you." Kagome chimed in. Something near the window glinted in the sunlight and she waltzed over to inspect it.

Hanging on the shelf was a geode with pink crystals inside. "That was inspired by a legendary jewel of souls." The old man then turned away to dote on another customer. "I'll take this." She decided. She took the pendant into her palm. "Choose a chain." The manager suggested. She nodded and chose a silver one with small links and little clear beads.

"Would you?" She asked Inuyasha as she held up each end of the necklace with her fingertips and turned her back so he could hook the chain. His mouth twisted in defiance, but he complied. She pulled her hair up and to the side and lifted the tresses to reveal her slender neck. He quickly fastened the clasp and focused his attention on the harbor. "Thanks," she cooed as she looked down at the pendant on her chest. "I'll always remember that I bought this on my trip…with you." She twirled the pendant between her thumb and forefinger and looked up at him with a sheepish smile. Her eyes were glistening as much as the crystals. She looked up at him with anticipation (for him to say something?) "Don't get too excited." He replied with a turn of his face to the side in a smug kind of way, but still maintained eye contact. A blush tinted the corners of his cheeks. He bit the inside of his cheek when he felt his lips threaten to turn up into a grin. "You like spending time with me, don't you?" She inquired when he didn't say anything. He was so hard to read. "Depends." He muttered stubbornly. "Nevermind." She said bitterly and continued walking on the boardwalk ahead of him.

She absent-mindedly twirled the geode in her fingers as they continued to walk down the rows of shops. She stopped in front of a shop filled with handmade soap, bath salts, and other lush items for the skin.

Inuyasha sat on a bench outside the shop for bath bombs. It was too sweet and perfumey for him. His head lulled to one side as he watched Kagome hop from basket to basket. She chit-chatted with the shop lady about what each bath soak was for. She even tried some; the shop keeper sprinkled things and washed them off in a little fountain in the center of the shop. Her skin was already creamy and smooth, he didn't think she needed any of it. He glanced around and listened to the clamor of the tourists.

Kagome finally came out with a little brown bag, which held a couple cheesecloth covered bath melts. The fragrance was light. "Oh, good, you chose something decent. I thought I was going to have to avoid you smelling like damn incense." He remarked. "If that's the case, you could've said something _before_ I went into the shop." She scolded, swinging her hands on her hips. The sun began to set on the horizon, casting an orange sheen over the port. The place was less lively. They read a board to find an affordable place to rest for the night.

"I've always wanted to try a bed and breakfast." She murmured as they browsed the posts. "What's the difference?" Inuyasha droned. "They have activities, cook for you, you meet other guests, and they have themed rooms." She clasped her hands together and her eyes glinted with wonder. "Doesn't sound cheap." He deadpanned. "Fine, you choose a place." She caved. "The single room in the lighthouse." He waved the flyer at her. "A single room?" She asked innocently. "Yeah, it'll save us money til your friends join us," he said casually. "We already shared a room the last couple nights." "Yeah, but the circumstances…" Her voice trailed off. He was already walking on ahead. "We can do the bed and breakfast thing with your friends." He compromised. She squealed in delight. He covered his ears and told her to shut up.

"Gimme all you got." A gruff voice demanded from behind Kagome. She froze. Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder at the bandit. He was dressed all in black. His face was covered with a bandana. He held a small knife. _Typical._ It didn't matter what time period or where in the world, these low lives still terrorized people.

Without a word and before the guy could even make a move, Inuyasha swiftly kicked a leg back and did a roundabout right into the guy's chest, knocking him down. He stood over him, kicking away the blade. Then, he bent down, yanking the guy up by the front of his shirt and slugged the scumbag, rendering him unconscious. Kagome covered her mouth with both hands. It all happened so fast. "Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked as he turned to her. She could only nod in the affirmative. A security guard from the boardwalk came running up and cuffed the guy. They stuck around, waiting for the police to come and file a report.

-0-0-TO BE CONTINUED-0-0-

A/N: You're amazing, thank you and I appreciate you if you've made it this far. Please review. Next chapter ready to go, though I'll edit it in the meantime probably. See you next month!


	4. Misery Loves Company

**Broken Paradise**

Thank you in advance.

 **Chapter 4: Misery Loves Company**

Kagome set her things at the foot of the bay window. A hammock hung in front of it and there was a single bed in the room. She peered out into the open ocean, a wall of rocks stretched in front of the lighthouse. The ocean was choppy and waves started to crash against the ridge. It was hauntingly beautiful to be near such power.

Suddenly, Inuyasha dove into the hammock in front of her; he swung, arms already tucked under his head and legs crossed comfortably. "Hey!" She shouted as she clenched her fists at her side. He laughed mockingly. "So unsightly." She teased, playfully kicking his bottom before crossing over to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

"You're okay after today?" He asked for the third time that day. He stood now with his lithe frame against the doorframe. She rested both hands on the lip of the sink. "You're specially trained." Her voice inflected a bit like she wanted to ask him more. She looked down at the drain. "I am," he crossed his arms and went on. "The military used us half demons. I've been deployed. Even did some secret service assignments. But, that's in the past now." "It must still affect you even now." She said, her voice a whisper as she shifted her gaze to him. "I don't really give a damn about any of it." He said roughly. She went over to him and wrapped her arms around him. "It must've been so hard on you, though." She comforted. He placed a hand behind her head and rested his chin on the top of her head. They stood in silence for a few minutes. She pulled away. "Sorry. I'll get ready for bed." She said as she turned back to setting up her toothbrush. "I'll be right out here." He said as he lay back in the hammock, swinging himself again.

She sunk into the warm water, which was a pretty peach color from the bath melt. The water swirled around her and she exhaled contentedly. She had lit a few candles around and soaked. Inuyasha knocked on the door, complaining he had to use the restroom. "Just give me 20 minutes!" She yelled and added, "Just go outside if you can't hold it!" She heard him curse under his breath. His footsteps receded and the door slammed. She slunk back down into the water, slushing it around her. She tried to take relaxing breaths again, trying to force thoughts of Inuyasha out of her mind. She was relieved things between them were back to normal despite the trauma of the day. Well, he seemed totally fine, of course. She shook away thoughts of how it could have been worse.

"Refreshed?" He sarcastically asked as she stepped out of the bathroom. "Yes, thanks." She sassed as she toweled off the ends of her hair and ears. She was clad in light, yellow pajamas. "You're gonna be cold dressed like that." He warned. "Worry about yourself now." She bantered as she sat down on the single bed. He ignored her as he read through the mythology book from the previous night.

"What's for dinner?" He finally asked. "Do I look like I'm ready to go out?" She huffed. "I can go get something and bring it back then." He shot back as he flipped through his phone for something in the area. "Why didn't you get something earlier?" She asked, annoyed. "I wasn't hungry earlier." He said matter-of-factly. Her own stomach rumbled. He "kehed," got up and sat beside her, showing her some options.

She smelled like oranges and vanilla. "You smell like dessert." He commented. "Is that a compliment?" She chirped. "Feh, women," A slight blush tinted his cheeks. "I-I'm just hungry. Gonna go get some soba." With that, he marched out.

The waves crashed against the rocky base of the lighthouse. It was pitch black outside. Every now and then the light from the house flashed, keeping Kagome awake. Inuyasha seemed sound asleep in his hammock. She sat up and looked all around the room. The house was sturdy, she knew that, so she lay back down. She shivered a little bit. The thought of the bandit from earlier crossed her mind. She internally wished Inuyasha was next to her.

"Kagome?"

Came his voice in the dark. She peeked out from her blanket. He had turned on the light. "You okay?" He asked and continued, "the waves are really loud. Sorry. I thought it would be nice to stay here." She shrugged, trying to smile, "it's alright. Definitely a new experience." He sat beside her, his arms crossed over his chest and legs outstretched crossed at the ankles. The bed was too small. "It's okay, it's just one night, you can go back to sleep." She assured. He turned off the light overhead. He could smell she was scared. He couldn't tell her that without sounding creepy, he thought. "Just, scoot over a little and shut up." He said and settled in beside her. She did as she was told.

The next morning, they both looked haggard. Neither could sleep well from the flashing lights, the crashing waves, and the small space. They packed up early and got out of there, seeking refuge in a nearby café.

(-)

"You would be found in a bakery stuffing your face." Sango teased from behind Kagome, who jumped up and threw her arms around her the moment she saw her friend. "This is Inuyasha." She introduced. He stood up, arms crossed and lifted his arm enough to give a slight wave-greeting. "So, _you've_ been taking care of Kagome." She looked him up and down, hands on her hips. His face flushed red briefly as he remarked, "She's so weak, you know." Sango laughed. "My boyfriend's parking the car. He'll be here in a minute."

"Inuyasha?!" Came a male voice. The hanyou whipped around to see a familiar face. "Houshi." He said in surprise. The two guys slapped their hands together and started jabbering away. "Wait, you know Miroku?" Sango and Kagome asked in unison. "Oh, sorry. Yes, we actually were in the service together." Miroku explained. "What a small world." Sango uttered. "Well, let's order some coffee and catch up." "I'll be making mine Irish if we are gonna be talking about the military." Miroku added.

"Well, didn't think I'd see you again." Inuyasha started. "Likewise, but I tell you what, this guy saved my life." The gratefulness in Miroku's voice was prevalent as he turned to the girls, pointing at his friend. Inuyasha shied away a bit, slumping in his chair, his voice gruff: "I couldn't let you die, stupid. You always wanted to do everything by yourself." "What happened?" Kagome asked. Sango had heard the whole story already, but she was interested in Inuyasha's reaction now. "We were under attack, I thought I could handle it on my own, but there were like 100 enemies surrounding me, but Inuyasha came and took them all out," he explained. "I know killing isn't something to be proud of, but it was war. All's fair." "You were ambushed?" Kagome asked, her eyes wide. She clutched her coffee cup to her. The men nodded. Inuyasha explained, "It was a long time ago. We were on assignment. Part of it was my duty. But, yeah, Miroku's the closest I've had to a best friend. You just lose touch after the service and life." "Well, what Inuyasha actually said when he rescued me was 'You're not gonna die while I'm around, you got that?'" Inuyasha berated with a huff, "That's a horrible imitation of me and it hasn't gotten any better no matter how many times you've told this story." Miroku roughly wrapped an arm around Inuyasha at his neck to which he said "get off!" and squirmed. The dark haired man teased him, "You should just chime in and say the line yourself. Ah, you always try to act rough around the edges putting on this front like you don't care. Anyway, Inuyasha, you'll have to be my best man. I was going to look you up."

Sango fanned out her hand where a princess cut diamond twinkled in the dim coffee house lighting. Kagome gushed, "O-M-G CONGRATULATIONS!" She hugged her friend tightly and got up to hug Miroku. "So! We have to celebrate!" She exclaimed with glee. "We are. This trip. So, I've got a car. No more bus rides." Miroku insisted. Inuyasha shook his head and couldn't hold back his grin. Then he shifted the gears of the conversation, "So, I'm done with this town. Where to?" "There's a nature preserve I'd like to check out, some folklore in the area and indigenous novelties." Miroku suggested. "Sounds fantastic." Kagome approved.

They loaded into the car. Miroku spoke as he flipped radio stations. "We are heading north, into the woods, it's a bit of a ways. You two get comfortable back there." He raised his eyebrows at them from the rearview mirror. "You lecher. You haven't changed." Inuyasha berated, unfazed. "Oh, good to know." Sango sarcastically remarked. Kagome was blushing as she fidgeted in her seat. Miroku put up his hands defensively, "I'm just saying, if I were you and travelling with a beauty I wouldn't be able to keep my hands to myself." "WE KNOW." Sango and Inuyasha chided. His fiancée wanted to smack him in the back of the head, but restrained herself this time.

(-)

Inuyasha smacked a hand to his face while his three companions sang loudly along to every song on the radio. They also moved their upper bodies around like they were dancing at the club: gyrating side to side with hands in the air. "Keep your damn eyes on the road or let me drive!" He leaned into the space between the front seats. "Hey! No back seat driving!" Miroku jeered. "Quit your barking, you're ruining the vibe!" Kagome whined. "At least play something decent. What the hell is this?" He complained as he hit the button on the scanner. Everyone shouted and groaned.

"Oh wait! Go back," Kagome urged. "I haven't heard this song in forever." "Diamond" by Alan was on the first chorus. Inuyasha finally sat back. They had been driving up the scenic route. The ocean was long behind them. The road winded, thick forest and mountains surrounded them. "We're going to get there late." Kagome stated as she peered out the window at the darkening sky. "I've rented a cabin." Miroku revealed. "You have to let us take you to dinner as a thank you!" Kagome demanded. "I won't say no to that." He accepted.

They pulled up to a small, private cabin in the woods. The mountains were much farther in the distance now. They couldn't even see the treetops and the forest went on as far as the eyes could see. The stars above were brighter and there were more than Kagome had ever seen in her life. She couldn't stop looking up and around. "There are other cabins in the area, but we are pretty secluded. There's only one mart in the whole area, though. But, I stocked up." Miroku assured as he opened the trunk, revealing that it was packed full. "I don't think we even need all this." Inuyasha stated as he looked down at the canned goods. "I didn't pay for any of this, don't worry." He confessed. "What the hell?" The dog-demon incredulously swore.

"My father's friend hooked it up. It's his, so that's why there's so much sake. I work for a supply company, it's all taken care of."

"Does your work _know_ you took stuff?"

"What kind of man do you take me for?"

"A man of questionable morals." Inuyasha answered. "We'll still take you to dinner as a thank you and for your engagement," Kagome declared as she nudged Inuyasha. "Let's get this stuff in."

-0-0-TO BE CONTINUED-0-0

A/N: I broke down this chapter, since the others have been long. Thanks again for reading! It's InuKag week 2017 (Tumblr fandom). I wanted to update. :)


	5. Too Close for Comfort

Broken Paradise

Chapter 5: **Too Close for Comfort**

"That's the last of it!" Sango announced as they looked around the dimly lit cabin. There was a single lamp in the living room. It was a three-bedroom cabin. "We'll try to keep it down." Miroku promised as he laced an arm around Sango's waist. She was now beet red. Inuyasha and Kagome rolled their eyes. "I'm going to need some of this sake." The single female stated as she picked up a bottle of mountain brew. She got four cups and poured. "Don't drink too much." Sango advised more toward Miroku than anyone; she suggestively leaned on his shoulder, her lips brushed his ear. "Okay, let's play Cards Against Humanity." Miroku stated as he pulled out the raunchy-humorous game. They sat around the kitchen island on bar stools.

They were rolling in laughter at the obnoxiousness of the cards. Kagome wiped away tears and tried to catch her breath. They each had a different kind of sense of humor. Still, they were able to find each situation funny, albeit crude. The younger lady poured Inuyasha some more wine. "You trying to get me drunk?" He called out. "I think you are!" They all said. "I'm not seeing double yet." He assured and took another swig.

-Three hours later-

Sango held Kagome's hair back as she retched into the toilet. "It's all fun and games until someone throws up." Miroku stated. "Just give her some water, she'll be fine." Inuyasha recommended. Kagome leaned back on the cool tile and slurred, "I'm fine." "I got her, you guys can go to bed." Sango reassured. "Nah, I'll take care of her. You two love birds can go on." He sat Kagome up and gave her a cup of water. "Can we trust you not to take advantage of her?" Miroku's voice was suggestive. Sango smacked him for that. "Let's go." She said, pulling him out of the bathroom by the ear. They bickered a bit on the way to their bedroom.

"Sorry." Kagome muttered as she leaned against his shoulder. She moaned in pain and rubbed her forehead into his sleeve. "It's okay. I'm seeing two of you, so." He gestured for her to keep drinking water. "Are you going to throw up more?" He asked as he tried to look her in the face. Her cheeks were flushed and she was humming to herself. "No, I won't." She promised and he attempted to stand her up. She almost fell over, but he hadn't let go of her. She leaned forward into him, practically hugging him. "I donwanna ot go ot bed." She hiccupped.

"I'll stay up with you, stupid." He chuckled. "Don't laugh at me." She whined. He walked her to her room. She clung to his tan t-shirt. She lay down, but sat right back up. "No, things are spinning." She groaned. He gave her more water. "Here, we'll get your mind off it. What movie do you want to watch?" He asked as he pulled a few options off the shelf. "Samurais." She said without looking. He laughed and popped in the VHS. Yeah, this place was clearly owned by an old guy.

"We are going to watch all four hours of this." She pointed to the TV. "If you say so." He complied, drinking some water himself. He wasn't seeing double anymore and at least the movie drowned out the sounds of passion from across the hall. He shut the door. She didn't seem to notice.

She was still hanging on him. "I think you should eat something." He recommended. He got up to fix her some ramen.

She was half awake when he brought it. But, she slurped it down. He had one of his own, too, of course. "Even boiled an egg and everything." She noticed. "It's a complete, balanced meal." He said with his mouth full.

"This movie is long. What's happening?" She asked. "You've been commentating this whole movie!" He barked. She opened and closed her hand at him, "you've been going yap yap yap, too. It smells like food in here." He opened the window above the bed. Cold air rushed in. She tugged at the blanket under them. "You can't sit on it and get under it." He laughed and got up to help her. She draped the scratchy brown blanket around herself and rested her head on her knees.

"Feeling better?"

"Getting there."

"'Kay, I'm going to bed." He said as he put his bare feet on the floor to stand up. She tugged on the cuff of his sleeve. "Wait, the movie isn't over." She said, her voice low. He looked down at her pleading eyes, which were a little red. He pressed his lips together, weighing the idea of staying in his head and sat back down with a sigh. He couldn't deny those chocolate depths when they looked at him like that.

"If I keep drinking water I'm going to have to pee all night." She complained. "Lovely. Go break your seal now. Then drink more water. It's the only thing to do or you're going to feel worse in the morning." He waited for her to come back from the restroom. When she did, he pushed her to drink more water. "I'm full," she whimpered. "I can't sleep." "Don't then. The movie is still going." His tone was slightly irritated. He was sober and getting tired now. She pouted. "What?" He asked, exasperated. "What? I didn't say anything. You hearing voices?" She remarked as she pointed to her head.

"You look like a hurt bird, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"I can see you're not happy."

"I drank too much!"

"Don't get so defensive, just seemed like something else you wanted to say."

"What? You were thinking something perverted, weren't you?"

"Like what?"

"Jerk."

"Ungrateful."

"Shut up."

"You shut up!"

"Oh my god, you're so LOUD."

"Shut up then."

"You have to have the last word don't you?"

"No."

"Liar."

"I'm not."

"Don't lie."

"You're ridiculous."

"So what?"

"So you're ridiculous." He crossed his arms triumphantly, a smug look on his face. Her cheeks puffed up a bit in defiance and her brows knitted together. She swung her pillow at him, but he dodged it. "Oh, you want a pillow fight?" He said, arming himself. They started to hit each other. She was throwing her whole upper body into it, kneeling on the mattress. "You're holding back!" She accused. "Yes, I am." He admitted, tapping her a few times with the corner of the pillow. She reached all the way back, holding the pillow high over her head and swung it back down. He let her hit his back. "Not fair." She mewled. She gave up and threw herself back onto the mattress. She sighed, glad that things had stopped spinning. She turned over and hugged the pillow. She blinked, trying to fight sleep. She didn't want Inuyasha to go, but what reason did he have to stay with her?

He smacked her on the butt with the pillow. "You let your guard down!" He shouted and playfully kicked her leg a little bit. She sat straight up, a marvelous blush coloring her cheeks as she covered her bum with her hands. "You're picking up bad habits from Miroku." She reproached, smoothing the back of her skirt. "Don't go there." He reprimanded, shaking a finger at her. She stuck her tongue out at him, then sat down with her arms and legs crossed. He tossed his pillow at her face. She angrily huffed and grabbed it. "Cranky." He teased.

"How do you see me?" She suddenly asked. His eyes widened and he took a step back. He didn't know what to say. What did she mean? What did she want to know? "Forget it." She said as she rolled back over, holding both pillows now. _Blame it on the alcohol._ She thought bitterly. "Get out. I want to sleep." She ordered. "Are you okay? You sound mad." He leaned over her, but still kept his distance. "Just tired and the alcohol." Was her excuse. "See you." He said as he reluctantly went out.

Kagome woke up with a pounding headache. She had no idea what time it was, but the sun was shining brightly outside. It was hot in the room. She had been sweating. She reached for water, but her cup was empty. She smelled bacon and her stomach made a whirring sound. She forced herself to get up. There was only one bathroom at the end of the hall. She moved languidly, holding onto the wall or whatever furniture for support.

She washed her face, brushed her teeth, and tried to avoid her reflection. When she went out, her three friends were at the dining table. "Morning, sunshine." Inuyasha said sarcastically. "Ugh, shut UP." She groaned and sat across from him. Sango placed a dish in front of her. "Greasy hangover food." She presented. There was a slice of ham, scrambled eggs, sausage, toast, and hash browns. "This is amazing, thank you." She obliged before digging in.

"I want to check out some of the folklore in the area." Miroku stated as they went into the nature preserve's information center. The slogan of the park was "where history and rivers meet." "There's a beautiful waterfall if you're up for the hike." Sango proposed. "Definitely!" She enthusiastically replied. Inuyasha perused the gift shop, which was mostly filled with indigenous trinkets. Newspaper clippings of the publicity of the area were all on one wall. "Eye witness" accounts of ghost stories and other folklore were mixed in. "There are some bunkers from the feudal era on the way to the waterfall. I recommend coming back by sundown." The ranger advised. They all nodded.

"This place is creepy." Kagome said as they approached the bunkers. "I think I hear a beehive." Sango warned. "It's living history!" Miroku excitedly said as he outstretched his arms as if to say "behold!" "Let's just get to the waterfall." Sango encouraged. "I had enough of bunkers from our time in the service." Inuyasha commented as he looked around the dark place. The birds were awfully noisy in this area. His ears flicked. "You guys go on ahead, then. I'll catch up." The engaged man suggested. "You better follow soon." His fiancée implored. They reluctantly left him behind.

They could hear the roaring of the waterfall before they saw it. When they approached, there was a single bridge that crossed it. It was damp and majestic. The water rushed and cascaded into a river far below. The leaves on the trees had already begun to change orange, brown, gold, and red. Some had even fallen.

Kagome set foot on the bridge and nearly slipped. She started to fall forward, but Inuyasha looped his arm around her waist and caught her. She pulled the front of his shirt to steady herself. "Would you watch it!" He scolded. Sango gawked at the both of them. He still held tightly onto her, pulling her toward him even.

"He's so protective of you." She told Kagome once they were alone. Inuyasha had hiked up the side of the waterfall while the two girls set up a picnic, waiting for Miroku. "He was a soldier. It's PTSD." Kagome dismissed. "He just gravitates around you." Kagome blushed at her friend's observation. "Do you have feelings for him?" She pressed. _Do I have feelings for Inuyasha?_ She asked herself. "I don't know." She answered honestly. She pursed her lips together. "I think it's pretty obvious for both of you." Sango gave her opinion. Kagome tried not to think about it.

Miroku finally came slumping up the trail, leaves crunching under his feet. They waved to him. He plopped right down as he made it to the blanket. They ate sandwiches and drank juice. "I want to propose a toast," Kagome said as she stood up, swinging her arms, practically dancing. "To Miroku and Sango, may your love be like this waterfall and run as deep." "Are you still drunk?" Inuyasha remarked. "RUDE!" She shouted at him. "Sit the hell down before you fall again." He demanded. "I'm just standing in one place, on the sheet!" She protested. "Anyway, thank you, Kagome." Sango interrupted. "To friendship." Miroku added and they all clinked their glasses.

"This really is marvelous." Kagome admired. "C'mon, I'll take you across the bridge." Inuyasha offered. "Really?" Her face lit up and she climbed onto his back, clinging to his shoulders. They were off in a flash. He'd taken off his shoes to get better traction. They stood on the other side of the bridge, but she didn't let go of him as he hiked up the other side of it. She admired him from the corner of her eye. He was unbelievable. One moment he was so nice to her and she thought maybe there was something between them, but then other times he picked on her like a kid sister. She didn't know quite where she stood with him. Maybe she didn't want to know. She didn't want to ruin what they had. Was he even over his ex? _Why am I even thinking about things like this? And at a time like this?_

She used his hair to hide her blush. "You can get off now." His soft voice brought her out of her musings. "Sorry, I was just nervous to fall again." She apologized. "I got you." He assured as he kept an arm around her waist.

Her heart started to thud against her chest. He was causing it, she realized, which made it skip and beat faster to try to get back in rhythm. The water fell incessantly around them; the same silver color as his full locks. His honey eyes shimmered in the faint light of the setting sun. She noticed his tan now, too. He was gorgeous. She knew she was blushing and there was nothing she could do except try to breathe normally. She was glad the waterfall drowned out the sound of her pulse beating double time. The whole scene was breathtaking and with him holding her. She clasped her hands in front of her, practically wringing them together.

"You cold?" He asked, noticing her body language. She simply nodded, allowing her bangs to shield her eyes, her hair falling forward to hide her blush. He pulled her in closer to his body; she could feel his warmth and defined muscles pressing against her soft body. She was wearing a dark green collared button top, no undershirt even, and khaki shorts. He had on a white t-shirt you could practically see through. An ache pooled in her stomach. She wanted him. There was no denying it now. But, she couldn't do anything about it, so the ache found its way into her chest. Like acid, it burned her chest cavity and she felt tears begin to form at the edges.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking down at the crown of her head. She suddenly elbowed him lightly in his side, then used both palms to push him away, "let me go. I'm not as clumsy as you think." He snapped, "It's not safe!" She took a couple steps back. She questioned his motivation, "Is that all?" "What else would it be?" He asked defensively. She felt really stupid and crazy now. She was too prideful to apologize. "I'm going back." Was all she said and started to march down the hillside. She kept both arms out at her sides trying to balance herself.

"Get back here! Talk to me, Kagome!" He commanded as he grabbed her by the arm. "You're gonna slip and break your head open. I mean it." She tried to pull her arm back, but he had a firm hold on her. "You're so stubborn!" She shouted, throwing her arms down at her sides, making fists, and stomped her foot for emphasis. "So are you," He retorted. "Just let me carry you back, STUPID!" He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder before heading back down the mountainside. She kicked and complained the whole way, but he ignored her.

Sango and Miroku were surprised at what they saw. "What's going on?" He wondered aloud. "Who knows with those two." Sango remarked. "I don't know, she freaked out up there." Inuyasha said as he set her down. _He heard our question?_ They thought as they eyed his dog ears. One twitched. "Just don't touch me!" Kagome cried. "Fine! Who'd want to touch you? I'm tired of always rescuing you." He fought back. The couple sighed heavily and started to pack up while their friends bickered.

"Don't bother with me then."

"Fine, I won't."

"Good. Stop following me!"

"We have to walk back together! There's only one trail!"

"Then walk ahead!"

"Will you two please knock it off, you're worse than kids." Sango pleaded. "You're like an old married couple." Miroku remarked. Inuyasha and Kagome turned red. That did it, now they both turned on Miroku. In a second, all four of them were yelling at each other, their volume rivaling that of the waterfall.

-0-0-TO BE CONTINUED-0-0-

Aw, InuKag always fighting. Classic. LOL. The next chapter will be up in a month. See you soon! Thanks again for reading.


	6. New Moon

**Chapter 6: New Moon**

Back at the cabin, everyone was quiet. Miroku cleaned up the kitchen and everyone else receded into their respective bedrooms, closing the doors behind them.

Kagome lay with her arm across her forehead. She mentally beat herself up for picking a fight with Inuyasha. He was being nice to her and she had sabotaged it. She knew she had to apologize, but didn't know how. She lay on her side and a tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped it away with her palm and looked down with wide eyes. _Oh, no, I'm falling for him._ She thought.

In the hallway, Inuyasha paced back and forth between his door and Kagome's. Sango's door swung open and even his demon speed couldn't get him back in his room before she saw him. The girl in the ponytail smirked at him then went out into the kitchen to give him privacy.

Inuyasha glowered at the wooden door. He "kehed" and the blush faded. His feet and arms felt like stone. He knew he had to knock or she was gonna catch him hovering in the hallway. What had gotten into her anyway? He'd actually been nice to her for an extended period of time.

Other than the low murmur of the couple's voices in the living room, the place was silent. He pressed his ear to the door. Was she sleeping? Out of habit, he sniffed the air. He could barely tell, but she was crying.

 _Because of me?_

Evening was approaching. His most vulnerable night was tonight, but maybe if he showed Kagome, maybe she wouldn't be so mad at him...

Miroku tossed wood into the fire pit in the backyard. Sango sat comfortably beside him, leaning on his shoulder, their fingers interlaced, her right arm draped around his shoulders. "Here are the marshmallows!" Kagome chimed as she trotted over to them.

Kagome's marshmallow caught fire and she blew it out. "That's not roasting." Sango teased. "I don't care. It cooks faster." She said, shoving the end of the stick in her mouth. Inuyasha appeared in that moment and saw the three sitting around the fire. _Dammit,_ he internally cursed. _She's with those two._ Kagome turned to look at him and he started to dart back to the cabin.

"Wait, Inuyasha…?" She called and jogged over to him. "Leave me alone. I thought you guys weren't out here. I wanted to be alone." He snapped. "Your hair, it's black." "Yeah, too late for me to hide it now. It happens once a month. Half demons lose their powers on one night." He said gruffly. "Hide it? You can trust me. We've spent a lot of time together and been through a lot already. I mean, you've got more people to trust now." She said softly, looking a little hurt. "I haven't trusted anyone. That's just how I've lived til now." He remarked, crossing his arms. He was slowly inching his way back to the cabin. He was a little hunched over, too. He was scowling and she could see he wanted to disappear. She didn't want him to go.

She held out a roasted marshmallow on a stick for him and smiled, "It's a peace offering." He plucked the overly sweet and charcoaled puff and popped it in his mouth. "Come join us." She invited. He stared at her pensively. "Only for the marshmallows." He finally accepted before following her to the campfire. She hung back, swinging on her heels, and looped her arm around his, then let go once they sat down.

"Who is _that_?" Sango asked as she stood up, taking a defensive pose. "It's Inuyasha, apparently he had something to share with us." Kagome explained with a gentle smile. "Glad to see you two made up."Miroku teased. The two blushed and looked the opposite way from each other.

Sango changed the subject, "anyway, let's tell scary stories." "Since the warring states era, countless witnesses have seen what they call 'the mothman,'" the always-human male began. "He appears just as a shadow or something lurking at the corner of your eye….at first." He paused for dramatic effect.

"Then, you can hear the shrieks in the night and fluttering of wings. No one thinks twice about a moth hovering around a light. Then, the moths blanket the windows and you find them in your house at every turn. You see its reflection behind you in the mirror, just a dark figure. You shower, thinking you can shake it off as your imagination and you see the wing looming on the other side of the shower curtain. You hear it breathing raggedly.

Then, you're driving or walking down the street and you can hear it. Something is following you in ALL directions. It screams and moves faster than an animal. It's hunting you." The girls sat wide eyed and clung to each other. Miroku scooped Sango into his arms and ran a hand back through her pony tail, "It jumps in front of you, spreading its enormous wings. You pray it's an angel, but then you see its glowing red eyes and humanoid shape. Its mouth gapes open, revealing fangs."

"Is this a mothman or a vampire?" Inuyasha interrupted, annoyed. "It is the mothman. Dracula at least has mercy and tries to make you feel bliss as he drains you. This moth will cocoon you and melt you." Miroku explained in a low voice. Kagome's small hand reached up to grip the cuff of Inuyasha's shirt. He placed his arm around her protectively. She scooted closer to him and leaned in. "It has taken down five men, a bridge, and several lives. The most recent story occurred last year." Just then, a moth flitted between Kagome and Sango. The girls screamed at the top of their lungs.

"Stupid, Miroku!" Inuaysha scolded as he covered his ears; they were ringing now, but he was glad in this moment to be merely a human. His friend only laughed heartily. His fiancée playfully slapped and pushed her lover. He slid off the tree trunk he was using as a seat and landed softly on his bum in the dirt.

"That's enough storytelling for one night." Inuyasha demanded. "Aw, c'mon, it's all good fun." Kagome soothed.

"My grandfather has told me so many stories. The most insidious one is about a terrible demon that wreaked havoc on a small village and the lives of anyone who crossed his path because he was greedy and jealous. He wanted nothing more than to defile the beautiful priestess who guarded the village and the Shikon no Tama."

"Shikon no tama?" Her three companions breathed. "It was sought after by many humans and demons alike. It is said it can grant the wish of anyone who posses it," she fondled the pink geode she wore. "The priestess was only human and wanted to use the jewel for her own desires, but the demon disguised himself as her lover and attacked her, stealing the jewel. Thinking she was betrayed, she pinned her lover to a tree with an arrow. But, her lover had only fallen asleep under a spell. However, she perished. Her remains were cremated along with the jewel. She took it with her to the otherside. The demon still roams, searching for it." She finished with a sniffle.

"It wasn't scary at all." Inuyasha remarked. "Betrayal, having all of the bonds you shared with your loved ones ruined by one evil creature's selfishness, and a demon lusting after you _is_ scary." Kagome defended with a huff. "It's terrifying and tragic." The other female supported. "Feh, whatever. It's just fairytales." The hanyou-currently-human dismissed. "Every story stems from some kind of truth." Miroku interjected.

A cool breeze made Kagome shiver. She was wearing black tights, a blue velvet skirt, and a black long sleeve turtleneck. She hugged herself and leaned closer to the fire. Miroku threw on a few more pieces. Sango sat with arms outstretched, palms facing the blaze. Inuyasha unbuttoned his red shirt and placed it around Kagome's shoulders. He had on a fitted, long-sleeved white shirt underneath. She cuddled up next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He leaned his head on hers. The glow of the fire hid that they were blushing.

The cozy group watched as the fire died down, turning to embers, until the last spark went out and only smoke remained. Their eyes adjusted to the darkness and thousands of stars shone above them in the clear night sky. They sat for a little while longer looking up, then finally went in when they couldn't take the damp chill any longer.

Kagome drifted right to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Her eyes flew open and she awoke with a gasp from a nightmare. She was trembling, heart pounding, sweat on her brow. She fumbled for the light. She cursed the stories they'd told earlier. She turned on the light in the hallway and the bathroom.

She flicked the bathroom light off and darted to the hallway, bumping right into Inuyasha and she opened her mouth to scream. He put a hand over her mouth and shushed her, his other hand cradling her head. "It's just me." He assured. Her heart was racing from being startled and from his proximity. He was shirtless. The dim lighting shaded his perfectly sculpted chest and abs just right. His sweatpants hung off his hips, revealing the nice V shaped muscles practically pointing to….She forced her gaze up, her eyes traced his biceps as she met his deep, indigo eyes. He let her go and she inhaled sharply, resting a hand on her chest. "You're scared cuz of those damn stories," he said, annoyed. "Turning on every damn light woke me up." "Sorry." She whispered, looking down at her feet.

"You want me to stay with you?" He offered. She bit her bottom lip and lowered her head, so her bangs covered her eyes. "Okay." She accepted. She watched him through her hair, still standing in the hallway. He then walked over to a dresser and pulled out a white undershirt. He slipped it on and walked towards her. "I'm gonna turn off the lights out there." He told her. She stepped out of his way and back to her room.

The blankets were peeled back from where she had been sleeping. She knelt on one knee and slid onto the mattress. He came in behind her. He turned on a small bedside lamp. She scooted over to let him in. She lay down and he turned off the light. Their backs were pressed to each other. She drifted off to sleep fast.

She was alone in the forest, being chased. She looked around in all directions, the sky and leaves spinning around her as she ran. She fell and a dark figure loomed over her about to grab her. She opened her mouth to call out, but no sound came. The dark figure stood over her, an arm outstretched, slowly reaching for her. Finally, she cried out for Inuyasha.

"Kagome! it's just a dream." Came his voice as she felt him shaking her into reality. She sat up, her breathing was ragged, and her heart was pounding again. She looked around the unfamiliar room. The dim light cast shadows and a yellow glow. She gasped again when she saw Inuyasha, forgetting momentarily that he was human.

"I'm going to kill Miroku and Sango for their folktales." He cursed. She laughed a little, embarrassed. He wrapped an arm around her. She was still shaking. She had trouble shaking off the dream. "It was so real." She breathed. She leaned in, clinging to him and realized he was still shirtless. She moved to pull away, but he held her close.

She pressed her ear to his chest. "You're safe," he assured. "I'll protect you." She felt her heart beat quicken and thump a little harder in her chest. She could hear his was steady and he seemed so cool….

He turned off the light and continued to hold her, following her movements as she slumped back down to sleep. His strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her and holding her tightly. He tucked her head under his chin. She sighed contentedly. He was so warm. Her arms were folded up to her chest and she clung to his forearms crossed over her. She drifted off to sleep soundly this time.

She felt Inuyasha stir, a soft groan escaping him. The sun beamed in from the window overhead. As carefully as he could, he slid his arm out from under her and he was gone. She heard the door softly click, but it didn't close. She frowned at the loss of contact and hugged herself.

"You slept with Kagome?" Miroku asked in the hallway. "Oh, grow up, Miroku. We just slept. It's no big deal. In fact, I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't told that scary story last night." He said gruffly as he pushed passed him.

Kagome listened, her heart sinking slightly. A wave of disappointment came over her. She buried her head in the blanket. She knew that he was just comforting her as a friend. Still, it hurt to hear that it meant something more to her aloud. The way he held her last night, though, she thought was more than friendship. _Maybe it's cuz he was human he felt cuddly._ She thought bitterly.

She heard Inuyasha come back in. She didn't want him to know she heard, so she pretended to be asleep. He lay back down next to her, placing his hand on her head. _Does he think I'm like a cat or a pillow?_ She mentally berated. Still, she welcomed any contact with him. She pouted her lips and furrowed her brow, narrowing her eyes at the wall. Her eyes grew heavy again (after all, she'd slept horribly half the night) and she gave into slumber.

Inuyasha sat up watching the TV on low. Now that his powers returned since the moonless night was over, he could enjoy a movie without waking Kagome. He was engrossed in the show when her arm fell over his waist as Kagome turned over in her sleep.

His muscles tensed momentarily before he relaxed into the new position. He cursed under his breath at the blush he felt creeping into his cheeks. He'd had a girlfriend before, why was this woman having this affect on him?

He felt his pulse quicken and he tried to focus back on the movie. He cursed again when he'd realized he'd missed an important part. "Inuyasha…" she breathed in her sleep. _Is she dreaming about me?_ He thought.

He looked down at Kagome's sleeping form, her arm strewn across his lap. She was running away with this trip and he was just as lost and alone in the world. But, with her, he felt he belonged somewhere. She quelled his wandering soul. She kept his inner demons at bay. But, he wouldn't admit that out loud.

There was a light knock on the door and Inuyasha turned a deep shade of red, trying to peel Kagome's arm off his lap without waking her. He rolled out from under her and onto the floor. Sango opened the door and motioned for him to get out of the room. He followed her into her room. As soon as the door shut, she let him have it.

"Listen, you," she began with a serious almost threatening tone. She pointed a finger at him, other hand on her hip, and continued, "what do you think you're doing with Kagome?" "Nothin.' We're just friends. Relax, would you?" He defended. "You better not hurt her." She verbally pushed. "Of course not. All I've done is protect her." He argued. His ears shifted back and forth. This was embarrassing. He tried not to flatten them and hunch over like a pup in trouble. He did turn his face to the side and looked at her from the corner of his eye. He crossed his arms.

"Are you even considering her feelings?" She pressed. "Of course I am! She understands." He insisted, facing her now. "Does she, though?" She asked. He slunk back and shut his mouth. A sweat droplet rolled down the side of his face. "My heart aches for Kagome." She said in a hushed tone. "I'm outta here!" He shouted and quickly went out and into his own room.

In the shower, as the water washed over him, thoughts of his ex girlfriend involuntarily flooded his mind. They were painful memories. A couple of her kissing him pushed their way through. His chest ached. "Damn memories." He cursed as he hit his fist lightly on the wall.

Meanwhile, Kagome lined the windowsill with seashells. She'd picked them up from the beaches they'd strolled along. Setting them out grounded her. Traveling from place to place was freeing, but her heart wanted roots. When they went to a new place, she scooped them up and placed them out. She had started adding sea glass to the mix. She contemplated leaving them at the cabin this time.

-o-o-o-o-TO BE CONTINUED-o-o-o-o-


	7. Remedy

Thank you in advance for reading and if you've made it this far. A heads up, conflict of the story actually happens in ch. 9. In the meantime, enjoy InuKag. The title is from Adele's song. As always Reviews are appreciated.

 **Chapter 7: Remedy**

Inuyasha walked into the only bathroom of the cabin and walked right into something soft and stringy. Another silky fabric flicked his ear. He looked up, grabbing one of the materials and realized there were bras hanging everywhere. "EXCUSE ME, What the Hell is this?" He snapped as he came storming out into the kitchen where the girls were prepping lunches.

"Do we really have to explain it to you?" Sango asked with a hand on her hip. Kagome stifled a laugh. "That's not what I meant and you know it! Do you have to hang your underwear everywhere!" He shouted and wildly pointed to the bathroom.

"How else are they going to dry? They're too delicate for the dryer, c'mon. If I hang it outside a monkey or some other animal might get it." Kagome reasoned. Inuyasha clenched his fist. "Listen, I'm sure Miroku doesn't mind, but I do. Get these things out of here!" He ordered. "Hey, I resent that remark!" Miroku chimed in from the other room. "SHUT UP, pervert!" Inuyasha barked. "Just go in and do your business! Stop making it a big deal!" Kagome shouted back.

Inuyasha disappeared and Kagome followed him figuring he was going to take them down. "No! Leave it!" She scolded. She reached up and snatched one of her bras away from him. "You're gonna mix them up!" She complained. "So what? It's not like you and Sango wear the same size." Miroku interjected as he walked past. They both stopped to look at him then at each other. A deep blush dusted Kagome's cheeks. She briefly collected hers and dashed to her room.

(-)

The snow was still a few months away, so they were driving to it. Miroku claimed that a good, old friend hooked them up at a nice place in the mountains. Sango asked who the good friend was. He hesitated, but admitted it was a woman he once helped. His fiancée had eyed him suspiciously, but let the topic slide. Even Inuyasha, sensing the tension, held back any comments about his friend being a creep.

Upon arrival, it was even colder than they'd dressed for. Snow started falling heavily. They'd made it just in time. "Why are you only wearing a sweater!" Inuyasha scolded Kagome. "I couldn't find my coat in all the stuff." She replied, hugging herself and dancing in place. "We'll get inside in a second." Sango assured, her voice a little irritated with the pair. Miroku fumbled with the keys because they were icy and unfamiliar. "Hurry up, would you?!" The other male barked. The younger man remained silent, trying to keep calm.

Kagome looked up at the large house. It was two stories with one huge balcony. There were four windows just up where she could see. Miroku sure had friends in high places. She was brought out of her musings when she heard the door open. They rushed in.

The place was really like three floors; it had a basement, but the basement wasn't dark, muggy and creepy like most. Instead, it was like any other living room of the house. It was carpeted, had wallpaper, and even a bathroom, closet, and room with a bed. "There are four and a half bathrooms here, so no one will be fighting." Sango said to Inuyasha and Kagome. Her voice was light and friendly yet teasing.

There was a huge fireplace on the main floor of the house, which had a living room, dining room, and a den. The kitchen was also large. There was a deck out back with a hot tub. Kagome stood at the bottom of the stairs and shouted up "hello!" "What the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha asked. "Seeing if there's an echo." She replied, her voice innocent and genuine. "Just go up." He said, giving her a little push on her shoulder blade.

Kagome darted out of each room. Inuyasha just stood at the end of the hall and watched her. There were 6 bedrooms upstairs. "I've never been in a house like this." She breathed. She couldn't stop smiling. She held onto a doorjamb and swung in and out of one of the rooms. "This is not a house. It's a chalet." Miroku corrected as he reached the top of the stairs. Inuyasha interjected, "which is just a fancy wooden cabin." "The rooms are so spacious and aren't even that close together!" Kagome awed. "This is insane." He griped. "C'mon, Inuyasha, enjoy it." Miroku encouraged.

"What's the catch?"

"How dare you insinuate that there are strings attached."

"Miroku!"

"Alright, we have to clean it. Top to bottom."

"But, this place is huge!"

(-)

Once settled, the group went out to enjoy the snow. The powder smelled fresh and clean. Kagome was the first to run out. She rolled up snowballs and pelted her friends, starting with Inuyasha, laughing all the while. They joined in.

Kagome fell backwards in the snow. She sneezed. "You're catching a cold." Inuyasha sounded concerned and knelt beside Kagome. "Nonsense." She denied. "You should go in, c'mon." He urged and held out a hand to help her up. She frowned and slapped his hand away, "I'm not a kid. I don't want to go in!" "Stop acting like a brat. What good are you to any of us if you're sick?" He snapped. "What good am I? Why you…" She started. "It is getting cold, Kagome." Sango added. "Stay out of this!" Kagome and Inuyasha yelled in unison. The engaged couple narrowed their eyes and left the two.

Inuyasha scooped up Kagome princess-style against her protests. She pushed her arms against his shoulders. "Put me down!" She shouted. He was so strong and warm. It was too difficult to fight him, but she wasn't ready to go inside. "No, really, wait." Her voice broke. She was shaking, but not from the cold. He did as she asked and tilted her, so her feet could find the floor. He kept an arm around her to steady her.

"Don't cry, Kagome." He said softly and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "What are we even doing?" She asked suddenly, looking up at him through her bangs with unshed tears. "We're having fun. Didn't you want to be on a trip like this?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.

"But, for how long can we keep doing this?"

"As long as we need. As long as you want."

"For as long as I want…?" She repeated. "I don't know what I want. I feel so lost. I don't know what I'm doing. I just don't know anything…" Her voice trailed off. "So, we'll figure it out, together." He assured. She bit her bottom lip, which she felt was getting chapped from the cold. The sun was already setting. She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. When he said that, she wasn't sure what he meant and she was too afraid to ask, even though she wanted to. "What am I even doing here? Do I even belong here?" She questioned. She started walking away from him. He followed behind her.

"You want to stay, don't you? Or do you want to go home? Because we can." He told her. "There's nothing there for me." She admitted with a sigh. "You have me now." His voice was so soft and sincere. It made her chest ache. Her heart raced. She was terrified. There was so much she wanted to do in life, how did Inuyasha factor in?

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She asked as she whipped around to look at him. His golden eyes shimmered in the setting sunlight. "You prefer it when I'm mean to you?" He asked, his voice a little rough. "What are we doing?" She inquired, her voice raising, head shaking side to side a little. "What answer are you looking for, Kagome?" He interrogated and stepped toward her.

She looked down and closed her eyes, lifting her head up and finally saying, "Inuyasha, what are _we?_ You and me?" He came closer to her. He reached out to put his hands on her shoulders, but she flinched. He scowled at her and took her in his arms.

"What are you doing?!" She exclaimed as she pushed her hands against his chest. " _Just…_ shut UP!" He shouted with a growl, and put his mouth over hers. Her eyes widened. He wrapped his arms around her, tightening his hold of her. His movement snapped her into the moment. She kissed him back.

He was so warm. She wrapped her arms around his torso and stood on her tip toes to press her lips against his more firmly. She parted her lips a little. He filled the space with his tongue and closed his lips over hers. He did a sucking motion of the tip of her tongue and bottom lip and she melted into him.

He peeked at her through his lashes. She was flushed and she felt really warm. He broke the kiss. "Let's go in." He said in a breathy voice. He took her hand and led her inside. He led her upstairs. She followed silently. Miroku and Sango watched them out of the corners of their eyes from their spot in front of the fireplace.

He took her to her room. "Get in bed." He said. She blushed profusely and her eyes widened. "Hey! You're too forward. I'm not ready—" He interrupted her, "I didn't say get naked! You're sick." Her blush deepened even more. "I'm going to take care of you so just pipe down." With that, she laid down. The room spun a little. She hadn't realized just how sick she felt because she was always so active.

He came downstairs. "Kagome has a cold. I don't need you two getting sick so stay away from her." He told his friends. "Is that all?" Miroku quipped. Inuyasha ignored him while he set some water in a big pot to boil.

He came back with a cool towel for her forehead. "It was you, you made my temperature rise." She teased as he administered the cold compress. A brush crept into his cheeks, "shut up." She giggled and coughed a little. "Change into your PJs while I get you the cold remedy." He went back out.

She slipped into her night clothes and crawled back under the covers. She thought about the kiss, pressing a couple fingers to her lips. She knew she was blushing again. That he only showed her his soft side really made her heart flutter.

He brought her back a kind of porridge. "You made this?" She asked, sitting up. "Yeah, it'll make you better." He promised. It didn't smell or taste good, but she didn't complain. She didn't want to hurt his feelings. He gave her some water. She lay back down and he pulled the blankets to her chin. Then, sat beside her on the floor. "Inuyasha?" She called softly. He tilted his head back to look at her. Her lips met his briefly. "Thank you." She said and rolled over to sleep.

Kagome groaned as everything around her shook like she was a boat on the rolling sea. She opened her eyes to see Inuyasha dart on top of her. "Kagome, stay put! It's an earthquake!" She tried to sit up, but Inuyasha pinned her to the mattress. He lay protectively over her, looking up as if he expected the ceiling to cave in. But, the vibrations ceased. "There could be aftershocks." He warned.

Miroku and Sango barged in. "Are you alright?" They asked in unison.

"You sly dog."

"S-sorry to interrupt."

"Was it you two making the house rumble?"

"Shut the hell up both of you!" Inuyasha snapped. "I'm just protecting her. Damn perverted-!"

"Stop you guys! Inuyasha, you can get off me now! It's Okay." Kagome reacted finally, her voice nasal from the cold and situation. Her face was red and she pushed at the half-demon's shoulder and chest.

He backed down, but still kept an arm wrapped around her. "No, you're still not well and there's gonna be aftershocks." He said with conviction. "It really wasn't that bad, I don't think..." Sango muttered, but she clung to Miroku's sleeve and stepped closer to him. "I think it might have been an avalanche somewhere and not an earthquake at all." The dark haired male contemplated. "Would you shut up." The half demon ground out as he made his way over to said friend.

"We have enough supplies. This house is sturdy." The dark haired male assured.

"Miroku and I will walk around and check for any damage. You two stay here." Inuyasha ordered as he dragged him out.

Sango sat on the bed with Kagome, eyes wide and looking around. "Is this your first natural disaster?" Kagome asked, doubting it was an earthquake. "Y-yeah. I mean. I slept through or was out of town for the others." The one-year older girl answered. "All we can do is be prepared. At least we are together." She assured. Sango nodded at her friend's response.

The boys came back quickly. "Well, we're not snowed in." Miroku said, almost sounding disappointed. Sango playfully jabbed him with her elbow.

"Alright, back to sleep. You need rest." Kagome didn't have the energy to protest as she curled up under the blanket. She heard the fading footsteps of her friends and felt Inuyasha patting her on the back as she drifted off to sleep.


	8. Two Beds and a Coffee Machine

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. LEMON WARNING.

Broken Paradise

Chapter 8: Two Beds and a Coffee Machine

"Dammit all!" Inuyasha cursed as he pushed the car down the road. Miroku steered. "I can get out and help push!" Sango insisted. She'd been trying to convince him to let her help for the last thirty minutes. She felt useless just sitting in the car beside Kagome. "We all know you're big and strong, just let her help!"

"I got this! No sense in straining yourself, Sango."

Kagome steered while Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha pushed the car. They rolled into the nearest inn, which fortunately hadn't been too far up the road.

"Get that hunk of junk out of here!" Boomed a male voice. He raced over and gestured wildly. "It's temporary, jerk!" Inuyasha shot back.

"Listen, this isn't a parking lot. It's bad for business."

"Well, if you help then we can move it faster."

"Pardon me, sir." Kagome interrupted. Icy-blue eyes shot in her direction and immediately softened.

"Oh, excuse me. How can I help you?" "WHAT?!" Could be heard shout from the background. Everyone else disappeared to him. He leaned his arm on the hood of the car and opened the door for her. "Could we use your phone to call a mechanic?" She asked sweetly, but didn't step out.

"Hate to break it to you, but this is the only place for 20 miles and any shop is closed for the weekend."

"Then, I guess we'll need a few rooms for the weekend." She said and stepped out. "The name's Kouga." He held out his hand to help her up. "Kagome. This is Sango, Miroku and you sort of met Inuyasha." "Yeah, I met his attitude anyway." He remarked and led them inside.

Inuyasha was pissed. Miroku had talked him down outside.

"Just two rooms." Inuyasha interjected as he came up behind Kagome. "What are you doing?" She asked him as he came up behind her. He was standing so close, she could feel the contours of the buttons of his shirt against her back. He didn't answer, just shot her a glare.

"Right, Sango and I will share a room." Kagome said with an unwavering smile. Kouga's eyes shifted between the group. "Okay. It's none of my business. Here are the keys." He placed them in her palm and folded his hand over hers. "Thank you." She replied. She continued to smile politely. She felt nervous as he showed them to their rooms. She eyed Inuyasha out of the corner of her eye. He was quiet, arms crossed, and his eyebrows were knitted together tighter than usual.

"I'm not staying with you, dude." Miroku said as he pulled Sango into their bedroom.

"Don't start, Inuyasha." She said as she closed the door behind them. "What?" He practically growled, scowl growing more prevalent, and he shrugged his crossed arms, staring her down. "I just acted like that to get us what we needed, OK. You bit the guy's head off when you met him!" She said as she fluffed a blouse out of her suitcase. "He was being an ass!" He defended. "Even so! It's the only place for 20 miles. You can't piss off the only help we have!" "Yeah, Okay, whatever. Can we go eat now?" He sighed heavily. His temper seemed to simmer.

"You're in luck. I got some wine tasting for you." Kouga said as he poured Kagome a glass of red for her first. He placed out a charcuterie in front of her. "This is really nice." Kagome obliged. "This is on the house." He assured. "Well, who are we to turn down such hospitality." Miroku added as he sampled a slice of meat.

"Why the hell is he being so pleasant?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded as she looked to see if said-man was out of earshot.

"Hey! Check out the jukebox, " Kouga said as he returned with another bottle of wine. He bumped his hip against it and it started to play "Come" by Amuro Namie. "Let's dance." He held out his hand to Kagome.

She placed her hand in Kouga's and Inuyasha's chair slid back noisily as he stood up.

"Inuyasha?"

"Fuck off." He snapped at her and in a flash he was out the door.

Kouga watched with mouth agape and eyes wide at Kagome's receding form.

"Inuyasha!" She called after him, jogging to catch up to his walking pace. She reached out a hand to catch him. "Wait up!" "Feh!" Was all he said as he stomped down the road.

"Where are you going?" She called after him. Her voice raised like she was getting angry. He slowed down so she could catch up. "I'm going to get us another ride. I don't want to stay here, do you?!" He turned abruptly and she crashed into his hard chest.

She looked up into his expression, expecting to find anger, but he looked hurt instead. "What's going on?" She asked softly, lifting her hand to touch him. He jolted and took a step back. "Don't touch me with the hand you touched _him_ with."

"I don't get why you're so upset. Would you just talk to me?" She pleaded. "Just go back to wolf-boy. Maybe that's what you really want, huh, a full demon?" He spat.

A crease appeared between her brows as she frowned. She huffed and pressed a finger to his chest as she said firmly, "Don't just assume and act like a jerk! That you would even _think_ I want Kouga-" "I see the way he looks at you. Go on, he's waiting for you. I'm outta here. Just forget about me." Inuyasha said gruffly, his voice betraying his angry stance and look.

"I would never forget about you! How could you even say that to me?" Kagome's voice broke along with whatever wall Inuyasha had been putting up.

"And I like you as a half demon, Inuyasha!" She threw her arms around him. He stood frozen for a moment, still in disbelief that she was still standing before him let alone holding onto him. "Stay, Inuyasha." She muttered against his chest. "I'll stay. Just for you." He said, just above a whisper. He placed a hand behind her head and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her against him even tighter.

She took him by the hand and lead him back to the inn. All around them were only rolling hills and snow-capped peaks. There was one dirt road that stretched for miles. But, fog could be seen rolling in. The wind started to pick up and it there was a crisp chill in the air.

He wrapped an arm around her shivering form. He mentally kicked himself, it was his fault she was out here without a sweater. He hadn't realized how far down the road he'd actually walked.

They came up to the inn where the three they'd left behind were playing cards. "Hey! I can read all your fortunes." Kagome said as she walked into the den. Kouga's eyes fell to where she still held onto Inuyasha's hand. She let go when she went to sit on the couch across from Sango.

"Read my palm." Kouga said and held it out for her. She giggled and politely declined, "I can't do that, but your cards I can." "Well, I'm gonna leave you all to that. That kinda stuff freaks me out anyway. I'd rather live in the present and not spoil what the future holds." He dismissed himself.

"You already read my cards." Inuyasha reminded, sitting back and relaxing now. "Maybe I'm cursed." Miroku stated as he curiously stared at his right hand and picked up the cards. "Don't say that, Miroku." Sango placed a hand on his wrist. "You're right, I'm the luckiest man alive." He replied as he kissed his fiancée.

"Don't need our cards read. We know what our future looks like." Sango cooed. "Yeah, they'll probably have kids right away." The half demon scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I think that's sweet." Kagome murmured. "It took us a while to get to this point and now we don't want to waste anymore time." Miroku looked pointedly at his single male friend.

"Keh!" He shifted uncomfortably. "C'mon, Miroku. Let's leave these two alone." Sango teased, but did stand up.

"Where are you two goin?" Dog-boy practically shouted.

"You want a play by play?" Miroku jeered.

"Damn, pervert!"

Kagome and Inuyasha sat in silence. The only sound was of the shifting of the cards. She placed them in a pile and was fidgeting to straighten them out.

"Wanna play 52 pick up?" She joked, turning to look at him. Why was her heart racing now that they were alone? They'd been alone for weeks now on this trip even after the kiss.

So, they liked each other. That was pretty evident up to this point. So why'd he feel cemented to the couch. His throat was dry. "Uh, you're OK with us sharing a room, right?" He drawled.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She said nonchalantly, but she felt her cheeks growing hot and turned back to the cards. "Right." Was all he said. He turned his head to the side, ears swiveling. This place was dead quiet.

"So let's go relax there then. It's late. Bring the cards if you want." He said and made his way to their room.

She carried the cards tightly in her hands as if she might drop them even though she was walking slowly.

Inuyasha came out of the bathroom dressed in more comfortable clothes: just a white t-shirt and sweatpants. She left the cards on her mattress as it was her turn to change. At least there were two beds in the room. Kouga hadn't assumed they were a couple.

Were they a couple, though? She shook the thought from her mind as she quickly slipped on a comfortable shirt and pajama pants.

"What's the rate on this room, you think?" She suddenly asked. It didn't have much for decor. Her eyes scanned over the cheap looking coffee machine. "Heh. It better not be much." His voice lowered. She put her "dirty" clothes in a bag in her suitcase.

"Let's play." Inuyasha said as he picked up the cards. A blush crossed her cheeks. She turned to face him, parted her lips, and said,"teach me something." She walked towards him. "What do you want to learn?" His eyes fixed on hers. She stared, lost in the amber color. "Poker." She breathed as she sat across from him on his bed.

"Which kind?"

"There's kinds of Poker?"

"Quite a few, yeah."

"Just basic."

"Okay. You better not be hustling me."

"So, where did you learn to play?" She asked as he dealt the cards. "The military." He said under his breath. She only nodded in response.

She broke the momentary silence, "What are we betting?" She asked, keeping her eyes on her cards. "You're not ready to bet yet." He warned. "Winning's just another word for nothing left to lose." She quipped in a sing-song voice.

"Very funny."

"I got seashells we can use!" She chirped and got up to get them. She sprinkled the bag out in front of him. "Kagome! Now there's sand on my bed!" He complained. "Sorry." She said with a giggle. "Feh!" He glowered and tried to brush off the sheet.

After a few rounds, Kagome was winning a lot and Inuyasha was getting pissed off. "I'm bored," He announced. "What else you got in mind?" He scooped up the seashells into the bag. "Well, we could spice it up a bit." She suggested. Her heart was beating so fast, he could hear it.

"WecouldplaystripPokerifyouwant." She rambled quickly in a mumbling tone. He caught it with his demon hearing. He coughed and a deep shade of red colored even his tan cheeks. "You're on." He accepted with a smirk.

"It's no big deal, you've seen me in a bikini already." She said as she put down her losing hand. She grasped the hem of her yellow, fitted top. He stopped her, "That's not how this works." She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow, her cream-colored skin peeking from under her blouse.

"I tell you which clothing I want and I want your bra." He said, sitting back smugly. She smiled wryly at him. She reached back and unhooked it from under her top, slipped the straps off from the sleeves and pulled it by the cups from under her blouse and tossed it at him. "You're getting as bad as Miroku." She jabbed.

"I think he'd have done worse and you wouldn't play with him." He stated, shuffling and dealing the cards again, trying to distract himself from her bra lying across his lap. Should he touch it even just to move it aside?

He wanted to crack open a window for air, but didn't want to seem like a pervert trying to make her cold so her dark nipples would get more defined under the bright material she wore. She hunched over a little, bringing her long locks to the front to try to hide them. Her cheeks were rosy and she kept her eyes on the cards.

She lost again and now he had her pajama pants. He tied them like a bandana around his head. She laughed, "you look ridiculous! That doesn't count as wearing them." She yanked them off his head.

She beat him with two of a kind. "Just give me your shirt unless you want to put on my bra and give it back to me. You don't have as many options to take off." She complained. "This wasn't fair to begin with." He replied and reached back, pulling it off by the collar and tossing it at her.

She put it on and it covered her to her thighs. "That's cheating." He chided. "This game wasn't fair to begin with." She retorted. "I see how it is." He said and leaned forward to collect the cards, his dog tags clinking together.

He was out of the military, she didn't know how long, but why'd he still wear them? There was a purple bead and a small fang hanging on the ball-chain, too.

She absentmindedly leaned forward, knees on the mattress, she sat back on her legs, used one hand to hold herself up and with the other she reached for his chain. He made no move to stop her. She saw they were laser etched and tugged him closer so she could read them:

JAPAN GSDF

高橋 犬夜叉

8604992002

Type AB

"Ground Self-Defense Force," He clarified, guessing what her question would be. "and a special Unit no one talks about." She looked up and her nose brushed the tip of his. She peered into his honey depths.

"It must be so hard on you." Her balmy breath fanned across his face. His gaze shifted away from hers. He looked pained. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories." She said as she released the tags and cupped his cheek.

"But, you're giving me new memories. Good ones." He suddenly said as he placed his hand over hers, lacing their fingers together. She blushed at that. "Inuyasha…" she cooed. Her eyes searched his.

Then, he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was delicate at first, then his hands slid up her arms, and pulled her closer to him, crushing his lips against hers. She wrapped her arms around him and he rocked forward to lean her back.

She parted her lips, taking what breaths she could, unable to stifle her moans and gasps. The cards were a mess under their movements, some sticking to their skin. He pulled her onto his lap with one arm and with the other he swiped everything off the mattress, the cards scattering noisily on the floor, neither of them caring. He tucked his hands under her thighs and flung her back onto the mattress, her legs falling open.

Just as swiftly, he was on top of her, laying between her legs. He encased her lips with his again, she did her best to keep up with his movements. Her heart was beating so fast, she was sure she would explode. His hands roamed her body over the remaining clothes she wore. She wound her hands in his hair, grasping his locks and tugging.

She wanted to touch the things that made him unique. Her fingertips found his ears and she gently massaged them. A rumble reverberated in his chest and she continued tweaking them to elicit that sound from him again and to feel his vibration against her.

He ground his hips against hers, allowing her to feel his hard length. Her loins grew hot at the sensation, the warmth spreading and coiling in her abdomen. She'd never felt quite like this before. Her hands ceased their movements as she relished in the tingles he was sending throughout her body.

"I-nuyasha," she interrupted."I need to shower."He admitted, "I like your scent." "Really?" She asked incredulously. Her cheeks got even rosier. "I'll wait if you want. You can go." He said as he leaned back to let her up. "If you say it's Okay then…." She let her voice trail off as she looked off to the side sheepishly. He half expected her to stop this whole thing.

"You can change your mind. If you want. I'll underst-" she cut him off by grabbing his face into a kiss. He pulling her close again.

He broke away from her lips and brought his hot mouth to her neck and collarbone, nipping and sucking, her skin turning blush from his ministrations. She sighed contentedly like this was all she ever wanted.

He scooped her in his arms, making her feel weightless and it sent her heart soaring. He sat back again, pulling her with him, having her straddle him. He swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Stand up." He whispered in her ear.

She stepped back lightly onto the wooden floor and stood before him. She hugged herself and lowered her head, so her bangs would cover her eyes. He cracked a smile at how shy she was.

"I wanted to see you." He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer to stand between his legs. She looked up at him with a meek smile.

She rested her forehead on his.

He pulled off both shirts over her head and immediately placed his salivating mouth over her pert nipple. She tossed her head back and leaned into him, arching her body. She supported herself with her hands on his shoulders.

Her knees started to buckle under the pleasure radiating through her. His hands cupped and squeezed her curvy ass before sliding her panties down. With a jolt, she froze in place, but liked the feel of the cotton material caressing her ass and grazing aher thighs before they fell to her ankles.

He got down on his knees and kissed her abdomen, making his way down. "Come here, stand with your legs apart." She did as he said as he turned her so the bed behind her now. She supported herself with hands on his shoulders.

The tip of his tongue parted her nether-lips and delved inside. She gripped his head, fisting his silvery locks.

He leaned her back against the mattress so she could prop herself up comfortably. He grabbed one of her legs and placed it over his shoulder as he continued to suck her blooming bud.

He swirled around his tongue and licked unabashedly, she was moaning louder and could hardly hold herself up. Her cheeks were flushed, her breasts heaved. He could feel her pulsing rapidly as her juicing pussy sought to fill her space. He indulged her with his thrusting tongue and forefinger.

She came, waves of the release caused her to convulse slightly, her mouth falling open and calling out his name in a whisper. But, he didn't stop his onslaught. He held her tight against him, following the bucking of her hips and rhythm the orgasm caused her to move in.

She came again, a short burst, causing her to lose her breath and become lightheaded. She collapsed onto the mattress and he rolled his tongue over her clit to help her ride it out.

He teased her entrance with his finger tips, sliding the length of his index from front to back. There was still an ache deep inside her. Her vagina spasmed and her pelvic floor tightened.

She tucked her hands under his arms, motioning to pull him up. He complied, lying beside her on the bed. She wrapped a leg around his hip, she wrapped her arms around his torso, bringing him so that he could get on top of her.

She pulled at his pants and gripped his waist, grinding against him. She wanted him with a burning desire.

He finally pulled down his pants, not even getting a chance to look at what he had to offer, she grabbed his ass to get him inside her.

"K-Kagome," he groaned as he slid in slowly, her tight walls causing friction despite her slickness. His tip was in, but there was some resistance from her outer lips and her small opening. When she thought she had taken all of him, she realized there was more.

He inched his way in, delving deeper, and she mewled and bucked her hips to take more of him in and adjust to the feel of him invading her.

Her soft flesh conformed around him, her walls clamping. He pressed his forehead to hers aa he ground his hips, seating himself inside her as deep as he could go.

He moved back out, keeping his tip in and slid back inside. He repeated this motion until she got comfortable with the sensation.

He slid back in, pressing in more firmly now, grinding his hips against hers.

Her voice was getting higher as he pumped in and out of her.

Sweat dripped off of him and onto her. She reached up and pulled him down by his fore locks, locking her lips with his, tasting his sweat, licking, sucking and biting his full lips. She murmured his name, he growled hers back and she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer and hold onto him for dear life as their bodies riddled and rocked with pleasure.

He loved the feel of her beneath him, her soft, warmth enveloping him. Watching her toss and turn her head to the side, gripping the sheets when it became so intense that she couldn't keep holding onto him, her back arching, her hips grinding, her whole body writhing as she begged for more.

But, she was getting too loud. "Ssh. Kagome, the others." He grabbed her underwear and had her bite on that. He continued to thrust up into her, pushing deeper and harder.

He pulled out and she whimpered at the loss of contact. He picked her up and quickly flipped her onto her stomach, she let out a yelp of excitement.

Bringing her onto her knees, he tucked a pillow in front of her, pulling her up gently by her hips while pushing on her back to prop her lower half up over the pillow and keep her torso on the mattress, for her comfort. He brushed her hair aside and lavished her neck with licks and kisses as he huskily repeated her name in her ear. He entered her glistening, pink core from behind with his throbbing cock.

He filled her again and thrust harder, faster and even deeper at this new angle. "I want you all night, Kagome," he said with labored breath. "But if you get tired or want me to stop, just say so." "Ah...ah..keep going, Inuyasha." She answered breathlessly.

He slowed his pace, leaning over her and kissing her backside, placing his arms over hers and took her hands in his, palms down over the back of her hands, feeling her knuckles dig into his palms as she clutched the sheets. He interlaced their fingers, her fingers squeezing his as he ground into her.

"I want you to-to finish with me." She said so low, only his demon hearing could catch it. She was breathless and attempting to look at him from over her shoulder. "That could take a while." He admitted.

"What do you want me to do for you?" She asked.

He suddenly felt self-conscious. He felt his cheeks grow hot and even though he was planted firmly inside her, he felt nervous. "J-just as you are." He mumbled.

She smiled in assurance as she tossed her head back and rolled her head, pushing herself up onto all fours so she could rest against the back of his chest.

He crossed his arms over her chest and thrust up into her from behind, achingly slow. But he let her body move, to learn what she wanted and her limits.

He sat back as she bounced on him. His gut tightened, balls clenched and the coil wound tighter inside him. He released just as the sun was rising.


End file.
